Mental health is not biased. It does not judge people the way we do. In a world where expectations are high- the pressure that follows is suffocating. It’s important to take a step outside sometimes and to remind yourself of who you are and if you have become someone that makes yourself proud.
Every mental health journey is different. Mental health might mean one thing to someone and something completely different to someone else. To me, mental health is accepting who I am and not letting what society thinks I should be or look like get in the way. While I am a complete advocate for self-care, I know that it is much easier said than done.
I think the bravest thing anyone can do is start again the next morning as many times as it takes. There is strength in persistence. We all have our own methods of practicing positivity. As a lover of poetry, I find myself retreating to words on a page.
I have read so much poetry and learned so much about each author that I know exactly which poet I need in each unique situation I am encountering. When I feel uncertain about my life, or depressed about what I am not- I reach for Rupi Kaur.
Rupi Kaur is the writer of the famous “Milk and Honey”. If you haven’t gotten your hands on a copy yet, now is the time.
Here are five poems from “Milk and Honey” to help you with self-care, as they have with me.
Being alone and being lonely are two entirely different things. Being alone and being happy stems from loving the life you have created from yourself. It also comes from a deep-rooted sense of self and, first, having a good personal relationship for this all to be possible. Spend more time alone doing the things that bring you joy.
In society today, we are too caught up on insignificant things. The biggest compliment is in regards to something that holds value; something that is more than skin deep. Strength, bravery, intelligence- these are all things that hold so much weight. Remind yourself about all you have to offer. You are more than what meets the eye.
You are your own home. No matter where you are or what you are doing, being at peace with yourself builds the foundation of a stable place to call home. Within these walls are a heart and a mind that give meaning to what your life is.
You should not search for something that is missing inside yourself inside of someone else. Instead, take the time to work on yourself. You have everything you need to be full, it just takes time to realize it.
Last, but certainly not least, is change. While it is important to build a happy foundation, it is also important to work on improving yourself every day. For me, this is the biggest battle. An all-encompassing mental health means acceptance, self-love, and completeness. This doesn’t mean, however, that this journey is linear. I’m hopefully eager for the day that I love all of myself as I work on myself. Only then will I be “at home”.
Wherever you are in your mental health journey, you are not alone.