How do you manage your depression?

Howdy y'all, I'm gonna start this with a little story.

Earlier this year I had gotten back in touch with my father, who has been in prison since I was 2 or 3. The only memories I have of him are visiting him in prison between the ages of 9-11. I figured after nearly 2 decades of incarceration, he'd be as dumb as a rock, which is why I've avoided getting into contact with him earlier. When I finally picked up the phone (he had been calling and texting from a cell phone he wasn't allowed to have) I was very surprised. He was articulate and straightforward, a no BS kind of guy. In a matter of minutes I could see where my sort of cold intelligence came from.

Naturally, he was ecstatic about finally coming into contact with me. He wanted to give me the advice and guidance that he had missed out on giving me the past so many years. Most of it was hooplah, however one of our conversations made a light bulb turn on in my head.

We were talking about recent happenings, I was telling him about how my recent depressive episode put me in a position where I couldn't get a job and grind like he was encouraging me to do.

He says "Okay, you have depression. How do you manage it?" I told him, "I've had it for most of my life, I doubt there's any getting rid of it. I just live with it." Then he says, "Okay, you've already decided that it's never going away. So how do you MANAGE it?"

*Ding*

Just then I had realized that if I don't want my condition to reach debilitating levels, I'm going to have to draw attention towards it and actively work on it, rather than fill my time with things to distract myself from it. So I'm asking all of y'all, what steps/routine/procedures do you use to keep depression in check?

I have received counseling (both group and one-on-one) as well as been on maintenance meds for both depression and anxiety.
The same meds treated both together successfully. It was like anxiety was a high and depression was a low.
Alcohol was the biggest problem that kept me depressed, so I gave up alcohol and cigarettes together (I always did one with the other anyways). I have been trying to cut back on sugar, carbs, salt and fat in my diet. I like experimenting with hot peppers and seasonings for flavor.
Deep breathing, clearing the mind and exercise helps. Don't get so damn serious that you forget how to play. Be kind to children and animals.
12-step meetings with other people with the same issues that I was trying to resolve, helped give me some ideas and tools on how to live. I didn't feel so unique or alone with my problems after that.
I noticed that you had a couple of negative experiences with hospitalization. Please don't wait until it gets to that point where you lose control. You don't have to do that to yourself or live like that.
Best of luck to you.

First of all, sending hugs to you, if wanted.

I take pills (but I also have bipolar). I have therapy one on one. I talk with them and it really helps. I find the triggers that bring me down to a low level and help fix that by cutting back on too much "busyness." If that is possible, I'd recommend that. Good friends help. And truly, talking here on this forum has been very good for me. What do you think?

the basics are important for me - exercise, eating healthy food, getting outside, getting as much sleep as I can, seeing my friends and exstepson regularly. the volunteer work I do is really fulfilling for me, so that helps too. and feeling like I'm working towards something. so being in school helps. mindfulness. connecting to my spirituality. practicing buddhism. always working on myself in some way feels good. and making sure to fit in relaxation and self care.