May is Mental Health Awareness Month:Restart as many times as you need to.
When we were young, we couldn't wait to be adults, we thought we could make our own choices, do what we wanted and lived in a fantasy world. We forgot that choices have life long consequences and we were not warned that not everyone in life is for you and its ok.
Adulting is hard, it's constantly trying to put your oxygen mask in the turbulence of life. I have found myself wishing sometimes that I could go time back to those carefree days but here we are and I wouldn't trade my life for any other.
Tha past year has been turbulent, many tears, disappointments, transitions and changes. The year has also had many wins. One of my favorite quotes is 'courage is doing it afraid'. Another is 'choose you and show up, no matter how you feel'.
Swimming upstream has never been easy. You face resistance from within and without and you must keep going, restart as many times as you need to and choose you.
What has kept me going?
1. My faith in God: The Bible says your mother and father can desert you but He is closer than a brother and is ever present. Through the ups, downs, He has been with me. Writing Bible verses and pinning them where I could read and read.
2.Selfcare: embracing different seasons of life.
a. Being kind to myself and self isolating to regroup, recover and reset. There is always a blessing even in rough seasons, just pause and see.
b. Journaling has helped me pen my thoughts, feelings&behaviors
c. Walking:I am thankful that we have Karura and Aboretum
d. Colouring: using the different colours
e. Reading books and listening to youtube videos helped me understand
f. Celebrating small wins daily, as basic as waking up and showering or doing a rask
3.Support system: no man is an island, we need each other. God has brought strangers my way who have become sisters, He has allowed me to be in a supportive family, no judgment, just love. He has put me in a community where I receive a call, a text or a prayer.
4.Be clear on your 'why': it's amazing how we all see the same thing through different lens. Everyone has an opinion and that's fine but what is my opinion? What is my truth? I love Webi's song that says 'confidence is like a smile, wear it' and move on.
5.Therapy : Going for therapy has been perceived as weakness but I know therapy introduces you to yourself. It creates self awareness on what influences your thoughts, feelings and behaviors. You understand what changes you can make and get a different outcomes. Only a fool does things the same way and expects a different outcome. So choose you, forget about myths and image, go for therapy, it will save you from yourself sometimes.
6.Choose your battles. Which one to fight, which one to ignore.
These world has enough cares of its own, don't live for the applaud of others, you matter, your mental health matters. Be a good student of yourself, restart and reset as many times as you need to.
Monday Reflections by Sylvia
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