What is mental health?

What is mental health

It seems that in todays society, everyone know someone who is suffering with mental health problems. It’s important that we don’t confuse mental health with mental illness as the two are related but equally different. So what is mental heath?

We live in a world where we want to be fit and healthy. People spend hours in the gym everyday chiselling and sculpting  their bodies so they look their absolute best. We spend fortunes on vitamins and health products but how many of us spend any time looking after or minds? After all your brain is the most important part of your body. It controls everything we do and without it we wouldn’t be able to tell our muscles to lift the weights that tone our bodies.

It is important therefore to train our minds in the same way that we train our bodies. It is imperative that we all acknowledge that our mental health and well being are just as important as our physical health, and look after both acordingly.

So what is mental health?

I like to think of mental health as a quantitative measurement or a sliding scale. At one end of the spectrum sits a person that has never had any problems in their life what so ever. The best possible version of yourself, untouched by testing relationships or traumatic events. At the other end of the scale would be the version of you that everybody fears becoming. The result of years of trauma and pain.

Obviously no one is completely with or without pain or trauma in their lives. We all have our own individual life experiences and through them we all sit somewhere on this mental health continuum. Most are balanced nicely in the middle but beware that our sliding scale can move and just because you have good mental health today it does not follow that tomorrow will be the same.

However, the opposite is also true. If you find yourself in a place that seems dark and foreboding take comfort in the thought that this is only temporary. With the right training, or therapy you can shift yourself back towards the light. I personally believe that everybody has bad moments in their lives, thats just the way the cookie crumbles. But if we acknowlege our mental health and wellbeing before it all gets too much we can better prepare our minds for the stresses of the modern world we live in.

If you, or someone you know needs a little help, I am always available to offer a helping hand.

 

Avoid negative people

Avoid negative people for a happy life

What I am about to say seems really obvious, however so many of us do not apply it to our lives so it needs saying out loud. Avoid negative people for a happier life!

Avoiding negative people – the 3 main types

Mr. Negative

Mr. Negative seems to have a problem for every solution and loves to drain enthusiasm from any new idea. When a window of opportunity opens, he’ll pull down the shade. He will take your energy and slow your momentum. You don’t want this person on any project at work and don’t waste any time socializing with them.

The Critic

Critics are known for finding something derogatory to say about anyone and everyone. The Critic is famous for trading confidential or negative information about others. Critics use gossip to bond with and control small-minded people. Make sure you’re never tempted to engage in their mischief as everyone is fair game, including you.

Critics are threatened by talented motivated people. The greater the talent, the louder their criticism. Their aim is to draw the spotlight away from their own unimpressive nature.

Avoid negative people and never let anyone who has achieved nothing tell you how to do anything.

Forever The Victim

Never able to accept personal responsibility, life seems chronically unfair to Victims. My boss doesn’t like me, so I never had a chance of the promotion. The exam questions were worded badly. The world is always against a Victim, and they wonder why they only have bad luck. They haven’t figured out yet that hard work puts you in a place where good luck can find you, and they are famous for putting in little effort. You’ll recognize a Victim by their continuous excuses.

You can’t expect to hang around with negative people and expect to live a happy life. It just doesn’t work that way. Once we understand this we can start searching for positive influences that improve our emotional well being promoting a happier,  more fulfilled life.

Surround yourself with people who dream bigger than you do. They passionately improve everything in their path, from processes and products to colleagues and employees. They believe anything is possible, and they’ll believe in you.

Remember we can’t always change the people or circumstances in our lives, but we can always change our response. Excellence is not a skill,  it is choice, and positive thinking breeds courageous habits.

Whenever you have the opportunity, try to be encouraging and motivate others. You will soon feel the difference in how it feels and like a drug it becomes addictive.