The Power of Positivity

Take a moment here to think….

Do we need a diagnosis to take mental health seriously?

Can it become a dinner table talk and we start looking at this proactively?

Can we all look out for those seeking help rather than shunning them away?

We, at some point or other in life have all gone through a phase of low or negative feelings. For some, it could be a few times while for others a more regular affair. All this depends on how seriously one takes it and starts to talk about it and at the same time, the person receiving this should welcome the discussion with an open mind ensuring that the person going through depression or anxiety feel safe. Remember, just because you aren't going through this today doesn't mean you are above all, no one is spared through this phase of life.

We, as a country are going through what's called a Mental Health pandemic and this is not because we are not aware of mental health issues it's just that we tend to ignore it and don't take it seriously like physical illnesses or prevention of disease. It's time to change, and change for the better. Mental illness is curable. Let's start with spreading awareness and talking about it. Except for big life events that shake us up (e.g., weddings, relocation, babies, separation, death of loved ones, job changes), anxiety and depression can creep up on us anytime. That leaves us in a difficult position when the resources like therapy and medication require time, energy, and money and we're already struggling due to a lack of specialists in this field.

Prevention is better than cure hence, we ALL need to be doing things daily that keep our minds healthy, strong, and resilient. I agree it's easier said than done but remember the way you see life is what you will attract. If someone had told me this statement a few months back I would tell them to buzz off… but these last 8 weeks have been hard on me, my professional life hasn't been really going well post the pandemic, just when I felt things were falling in place everything cracked overnight and I was going through one of the worst phases of my life, friends (you know each of us have this one or two close ones) that I thought I had weren't around when I needed them the most, I couldn't talk to my aging parents about it with the fear of their deteriorating health and not wanting to add more worries to their already taxed minds. I felt lonely and had no one to talk to or express my feelings to, spent nights awake staring at my mobile randomly browsing through stuff…. There was a point when I had suicidal thoughts, bad dreams about my close family…

If you think life sucks then opportunities won't come knocking, on the other hand, if you welcome challenges, roll the punches and try to see the silver lining even in the worst times that changes you for the better. Start thinking positively automatically positive vibes will start attracting you. That's the power of positivity. When you start thinking about something that makes you happy, your brain releases Endorphins – it's called the happiness hormones which give you a feeling of well-being resulting in you developing a positive attitude. I agree no one can be positive when things are going down, processing emotions is just as important as adopting a positive mindset. Just replace negative thoughts with a positive one and you will start to see positive results. It's easy to cry and feel sad over what you don't have instead start to appreciate what you have and that this is enough. Start to look at the whole donut and not just the hole.

I chose to see the donut daily by counting what I have, finding gratitude in the small things, forgiving easily, and not getting hung on to comparing myself to others ("WHY ME")… This was me a few months back but now I look within rather than looking across the fence.

I agree life isn't fair always, but does that mean it's the end of the world? Hell NO... Let's start to look at the good things we have and start appreciating them. Live in the present, think and plan about the future but never think about controlling it because that's where anxiety sets in.

A few tips and acts that you can start to practice daily to be a little more positive and a little more accepting that "it is what it is"

• Don't check your mobile phone till you completely wake up. (I mean the rolling on the bed with one eye open and scrolling through messages/emails)

• Put away your mobile for at least an hour before hitting the bed.

• Develop positive self-affirmations of your self-perceived flaws that can combat negative self-talk.

• Send handwritten cards of appreciation to those you love for no reasons

• Write a "get to do" list vs. a "to-do list" (e.g. "I got to go to the market for vegetables because it's available and accessible for me" vs. "go to the market and get groceries ")

• Notice what 'small stuff you can let go

• Create boundaries with toxic people in your life

• Prioritize quality sleep

• Get out of autopilot and do something spontaneous

• Play!! We have forgotten how to be silly and play and be not purposeful with our time – time is not wasted on play, frolic, be silly, and let it out!

• And lastly, realize that the only life you have is the one you got.

PositivMinds reinvents mental health and emotional well-being care by using data science & Artificial Intelligence in collaboration with clinicians and researchers, designers, and writers with the objective to allow for proactive conversations to develop around emotional well-being.

#mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #positivity #depression #anxiety #selfcare #selflove #parenting #teachers #students #emotionalwellbeing #mentalhealthmatters #positivminds