There are plenty of debates and differing opinions about depression, but one thing’s for sure: If you’re depressed, you’re certainly not alone. Millions of people currently live with depression—and three of them are sharing their best advice for coping.

“All it takes is small changes,” says Jose Santos. “People may say, ‘Come on, this isn’t going to help me out.’ But it does. It does.” In fact, Santos says he’s not very good at making big changes. For him, just being able to get out of the bed and brush his teeth was a small step, but it has made a huge impact.

For Renee M. Davis, daily gratitudes are important. “As human beings, we tend to be glass half-empty unless we consciously become glass half-full.” She makes sure to express her gratefulness out loud often.

Abby Ross reminds herself that depression is an actual disease that you have to manage, much like diabetes or heart disease. And with that, there is an entire process of recovery.

NEXT VIDEO: Recognizing and Treating a Depressive Episode: Abby’s Story