Rounding up Advocacy Week, I would like to share with you some of the lessons I have learnt on mental health. It is a subject that has been swept under the carpet for long but I truly hope that we will normalize asking how someone is really doing as opposed to just a perfunctory greeting…
Emotions are a gift and they have a way of letting us know what is going on in our minds. We should not suppress them but rather pay attention to what they are revealing to us.
You have the power of choice over your thoughts. You can change your mind and way of thinking. The choice is entirely yours. Remember that you are not your thoughts. Allow your mind to be renewed.
Words have power. Choose what to take in.
Encourage men to open up and speak out and not man up. They deal with mental health issues just like everyone else and expecting them to hide their feelings is contributing to the increased suicide cases.
Question what you are feeling before you react. Life is already tough with so many expectations and don’t compound that by being hard on yourself. You’re doing fine.
You matter. Build yourself up each and every day. In a world full of negativity, it might be quite the task but learn to shut out the bad energy.
Some days you can be blinded by pain and trauma that you cannot see anything positive in your tomorrow. You feel hopeless and desperate for the feelings to go away because there is nothing good in the world. But in those moments of darkness and gloom, remember your power. You’re capable of crawling back from the ledge because you are a powerful being. Master optimism because something good or beneficial can be found in the darkest hour.
It’s easy to be positive when things are going your way. So when you encounter a setback, remember that your way of thinking will help you through it. Think happy thoughts.
How do you see yourself? Are you critical of the person you see in the mirror or do you take and discard a hundred selfies before editing one which is seemingly acceptable? But can I let you in on a secret? You don’t know how amazing you are. Or how beautiful you look when you are talking about something you’re passionate about. Or that infectious smile when you see something cute on TV… So in your moments of self criticism and doubt, even though you are unaware, just know that you are someone’s AMAZING someone. Each and every day.
As we do our best (the humanly possible part) to live through this year remember to guard your mental health jealously. There is a difference between high standards and perfectionism. Do not underestimate what you have done in the past months of 2021 by agonizing over what you didn’t do. You’re here now and you matter.
In My Own Words: Precious Zvimba 