Accept the Imperfect
Mental Health Day will take place on October 10th and the theme this year is Mental Health for All – Greater Investment – Greater Access. Everyone, everywhere.
The year 2020 has opened the eyes and minds of many to the fact that our mental health is priceless. The word “priceless” shine a light on governmental approach around the world to invest financially in mental health policies for their citizens – and they should. However, this article will take an alternative view by limiting the mention of what political steps and gains governments should take but instead redefine the term of the words – “investment”, “greater access”, “priceless” from a more personal perspective, the individuals who have been on our own quest to find ourselves through such uncertain times. An understanding we need to be all aware of is that we are all imperfect. We always will be. This is a major positive when speaking in terms of how we can invest, access our own strengths and realise that we have an infinite resource within ourselves…and there is no price tag attached to it!
Investment
Investment can be defined as an asset. You invest in an asset in the hopes of gaining profit, pretty straight forward. But what do you invest in? The answer is that you invest…in you! During these times of random change to our lifestyles one thing has been evident from the beginning, we now have more time. The time you once spent on your daily commute, walking to the shops for lunch, around the office, driving home through insane traffic is for the most part, a thing of the past! We have a surplus of time that we can invest in ourselves!
Greater Access
Use this time to truly reflect on what the last few months have meant to you, access what is already within you, the individual. Take a moment to look back on how you have spent your time and take on board both the positives and the negatives.
The positives will help you to realise what has worked for you and what holds value and meaning for you in your life. Has it been your partner, child, exercise, meditation, a daily practice or thought process? Essentially, ask yourself what have you accessed that has kept you grounded and content. Keep in mind that we are all imperfect, what works for one person may not work for the other but this is about your own investment, your own self-care, embrace what it is that you have found.
The negatives will help you to gain a better understanding of yourself by what action you took when certain triggers arose. How did you respond to the negative? Did you stop in your tracks, become immobile? Perhaps you lashed out? Did the negative triggers push you back or hold you down mentally? Understand that it is ok to feel these things, they are important to establishing new behavioural patterns so when these future instances occur you can react in a much more beneficial way, your investment will reward you with growth, resilience and a pathway to your best self – you win, the people in your life win and your environment win – simply by bringing your best self to a negative trigger or set back. You begin to learn that in moments of negativity you will be forced to take a step back but instead, stand your ground, embrace what it is and react in a way that establishes a healthier outcome. No longer should you take a step back, take the steps around the obstacle, find the steps to overcome it!
Priceless
Somebody once said that “time is money” – in the business world that may well be true in a physical sense, there is a value or cost attached to materialistic goods for foreign parties.
In truth, time offers much more. It gives us the ability to invest in ourselves. It will be forever priceless and one of our best resources to unlock our best inner potential when we exercise the patience to do so. To unlock our greatest strengths that we all have within our imperfect selves.
“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time” – Leo Tolstoy
