You Matter, And So Does Your Mental Health
If you spend any time on social media, you might notice an abundance of unsolicited psychological counseling. The dispensers of said advice range from actual psychologists and gurus, to tarot card readers and lay people with zero credentials.
I’ve noticed some patterns and themes with this so-called advice. Here are the more common ones:
If they wanted to, they would.
If they love you, they’ll show it.
Don’t live in other people’s heads.
Let them.
The theme here is other people, not self. Let other people do what they must or want in order to show you what it is they want or need.
I get all this. It’s all quite liberating to live this way. It is, quite simply, detaching one’s self from the draining emotions of others.
What I’d like to add to these premises, is the vital importance of reshaping the “other people” thinking toward one’s self.
The “let them” philosophy can easily be converted to “let me.”
If they wanted to they would, becomes: If I wanted to, I would.
The best one: Don’t live inside my own head.
And so on.
The moment we—the individual—give ourselves permission to do, be, and live as we wish, our minds are indeed free.
It starts by asking ourselves, why am I chained to my thoughts? Are the troubles in my life really troubles, or simply challenges?
Are they bills we have to pay, or reflections of where we have arrived in life?
Is it a relationship in turmoil, or an opportunity to gather evidence for what is to come next?
Yes, let’s let all the others around us do their own thing, and yes, it’s true, they’re likely not even thinking about us. But let’s take more time to challenge our own thinking.
Why am I thinking this way?
Why am I over there, and not here?
Why am I not letting myself?
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This Post is republished on Medium.
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Photo credit: Unsplash