Have you seen what I’ve seen?

It doesn’t matter where we go in life, there are things that affect our mental health. There are challenges that we have to face. Hardships in life can cause stressful events. Life is stress by itself. The way we deal with mental health and how we help others with their mental health can make a difference.

We have a purpose in our lives, we want to be in many places, and do a lot of things all at once. But we are singular beings, we have to be careful about our mental health. Wherever we are in our day-to-day environment, we have to find the balance. We have to identify solutions that help us to de-stress. Finding balance helps us to obtain our goals.

Taking advantage of steps to maintain our mental health will keep us strong. We can start by getting to know our own feelings. Next, actively listen, demonstrate love and care for ourselves. Acknowledge our ability, so we don’t push ourselves beyond our limits. Set reasonable and realistic goals, accepting the challenges. Develop a schedule, plan what needs to be achieved. It is vital to mix things up, to get outside, take breaks, do the unusual, and have fun. As humans, we have to be realistic about our lives to sustain our mental health.

Stress exists, everywhere, we’re surrounded by stress. Connecting with other people can help us seek out the answers by talking. This isn’t just sitting and two people chatting away. It is one person being allowed to express their feelings. The other person is actively listening and asking questions. They are trying to understand what the other person is really feeling. They are being empathetic, imagining they are living in the speaker’s shoes, seeing life through their eyes. The listener is gaining the experience of what it feels like to be in their position, dealing with the situation. It is important to listen, not try to fix the problem. Encourage this person, let them know that you are there if they want to reach out to talk.

There is no doubt that there is stress, but there are ways to maintain the balance of mental health and wellbeing. We can’t fix each other’s problems, but we can be there to support people and listen. When someone reaches out, we can be empathetic to their feelings. After all it might be us one day wanting to do the talking.