Mental Health Awareness Week 2020 - The Movement of the Mind

I wanted to do a video for mental health this week but I felt it was more congruent for me to portray this topic with words to paper.

Mental Health affects 1 in 4 people in the UK. 6,507 people took their own life in 2018; 78% of that number were men.

It can affect anyone at anytime our minds need to be looked after just as we would our physical health.

Erenst Holmes says, The brain does not think and yet a man thinks; so behind the brain there must be a thinker. But where is the thinker?

Our mind translates sensory perceptions both conscious and unconscious. We are complex beings with emotions that get programmed through how we interpret our experiences which then informs our behaviour and our decisions. We choose our intentions from the beliefs we have about that person or situation.

The concept of self esteem is the inclination that drives people to measure their value or worth.

Low self esteem can creep in when you measure your value based on temporary conditions such as, status, attractiveness, love life and financial prowess. Alternatively you may label or self- down yourself. These will include statements such as, I'm stupid, I don't matter, I'm useless, I'm weak or I'm unlikable. Self acceptance on the other hand involves acknowledging that 'You are a unique, multifaceted individual. You are ever changing, learning and developing. Therefore you can not be legitimately rated or compared to anyone else.

All human beings have intrinsic value to the world and themselves. Yet we too easily allow our self Esteem to be contingent on opinions and judgments of others.

There are a lot of people who due to feeling that they do not measure up in one of any particular area of their life suffer  the emotional impact. This can lead to feelings of shame, isolation and loneliness.

I started In One Peace to help other people as a witness that a 'current' situation isn't permanent. The intrinsic nature of currency is its 'movement'. Water, electricity and money as currency moves and is exchanged. So this is also the case with 'Time'. I had gone through some very difficult times in the past and felt 'stuck'. During these stages I heard a lot of people trying to be helpful with phrases such as 'things can only get better' or 'onwards and upwards' and my favourite 'you can only go up from here' which I could tell was their way of being encouraging but I didn't see how anything would change and it just highlighted how low I felt as most of the time no-one knew what to say. Ultimately, it was a cycle of feelings of Loneliness.

Loneliness, anxiety and depression can be felt by individuals even if they are not alone, simply because there is a withdrawal from wanting to interact.  It is like being or feeling like a hostage in your own life. Hopeless.

Losing Hope in my opinion is a disease in itself because it is a crippling belief that there is no solution. Everyone wants to feel content, happy, loved and accepted. Everyone wants to survive if they don't, I believe that all hope of a solution has been removed.

I want to encourage anyone out there feeling like this now to let them know there is always hope! It only takes one thing to change, input from someone or a change in perspective. The timeframe may not be as soon as you would like but current becomes history as time moves constantly.

Be kind to yourself. It is ok to feel sad, angry  or hurt. Allow yourself that time to listen to your emotions, sit with it and understand why you feel the way you do. It's part of your unique, multifaceted and ever changing individuality.

Argue less. Try to refrain from the belief that others need to understand your point of view or accept you. The Ego has its purpose but he needs supervising. Check in to make sure that it isn't just the ego that wants to be right and how important it is in the bigger picture. Often you will find peace from beating him instead of the argument. Everyone is on their own path and this will keep you from many disagreements and frustration.

Environment. Surround yourself with people who mean you well and celebrate with you. Too many times people hear hurtful comments from those who they trust, that are supposed to love them that they are self indulgent, dismissing their feelings and experiences when often these toxic surroundings are the very root cause of the emotions being poorly programmed. If this is the case, distance yourself while you focus on healthier relationships and rebuild your mind. Don't be afraid to talk to someone close to you about how you're feeling. Especially as these people may have observed such positive qualities that you may not have seen in yourself or needed reminding of.

Journal your feelings. This offers such cathartic release. Your perception will change, even from hour to hour, a day and beyond its a good way to see the movement of the situation by acknowledging it as past and releasing it on paper.

Power of gratitude. I can't stress enough how important it is to just look at what you do have or someone who helped today.

Do something for yourself that you enjoy. No matter how small.

Exercise and laughter. This releases endorphins which will counteract feelings of Anxiety.

Eat out in the sunshine. This boosts serotonin from Vitamin D which not only aids the immune system but low levels of serotonin can contribute to depression and loneliness.

Meditate. Take at least 5 minutes (if you are a beginner) focus on the nothing. Enjoy the pause and connecting to your self.

In the bible we are told how proud God is of us he says, I have crowned you with glory and honor as the pinnacle and final act of the six days of creation (Psalm 8:5; Genesis 1:26). He left mankind until his last creation and was proud.

When we focus on improving our frame of mind and leave behind the negative emotions we feel alive and more connected to the glorious creation that we are.

We all have a responsibility to each other to be kind. Our own individual status means nothing if there is noone there to acknowledge it. The most valuable people are those who know that we are needed by each other to thrive, create and nurture. Each of us have that gift to contribute. Everything else current is temporary.

Start with acts of kindness and being kind.

If you want to know more about your own gifts and how you can overcome your challenges. You can make a booking for a free consultation by emailing me at: contact@inonepeace.co.uk