Pursuing the Elusive Calm in the Mysterious Labyrinth of Life
Do you tend to feel overwhelmed by the monotony of everyday life, seeking to balance your academic obligations and extracurricular activities? Before you know it, the demands of everyday life might begin to overpower the necessity of looking after your mental health. Making your mental well-being a priority will profoundly enhance the overall quality of your life.
Mental well-being involves the entire range of emotional, psychological, and social health, not just the absence of a mental disorder. Neglecting your mental health will harm all elements of your life. You are prone to feel chronic stress, weariness, irritability, and other symptoms. In time, the mind, like a wild and untidy field, loses its splendour under the weight of neglect, and even the brightest hours, rich with promise, slip into a dim and restless twilight, where happiness and peace are but a distant echo.
Under pressure to achieve academically and engage in different extracurricular activities, you deem it convenient to ignore your mental health and focus on getting the work done. Trust me, you are bound to regret that. What if no acclaim or credit brings you joy? And you realise that all you are thinking about in your moment of glory is how to get the next thing done rather than being delighted in the moment itself?
Well then, how do we make mental well-being a priority?
Start by assessing your thoughts: For example, what were you thinking on your way to class? Rationalizing your thoughts will help you stay calm. You are less likely to experience anxiety.
Complete your work in manageable chunks: Imagine your task is a stairway. Taking numerous steps at once might sound fun and exciting, but it isn’t when you slip and fall down the stairs. Ascend the steps one at a time, and you will reach the top of the stairway without tumbling down. Likewise, making small advances over time will help you accomplish the task without distress.
Manage activities: Apart from academic work, do extracurricular activities that you are genuinely interested in or are eager to learn about.
Sleep: The rhythm of restful sleep is the cornerstone on which health and well-being quietly thrive.
Seek professional help: If you ever feel lost and do not know how to find your way back, reach out to people you trust for support or consider seeking help from a therapist.
Don’t let yourself feel worthless: often through life, you will be at your worst when you seem to think best of yourself; and don’t worry about losing your ‘personality’, as you persist in calling it: at fifteen you had the radiance of early morning, at twenty you will begin to have the melancholy brilliance of the moon, and when you are my age you will give out, as I do, the genial golden warmth of 4 p.m.”
-F. Scott Fitzgerald, This Side of Paradise
This quote makes us contemplate how our self-perception changes over time and how we can develop a healthier mindset as we grow. It encourages us to accept that we are constantly evolving. This realization is essential for mental well-being. Being aware that obsessing over a rigid idea of who we are may cause stress and dissatisfaction, especially when we encounter unfamiliar circumstances that contradict our perception of ourselves. Then again, accepting the inevitable course of ageing and appreciating the wisdom that we obtain leads to a deeper appreciation of life. Acknowledging the value of each phase helps us understand where we are in our journey, which fosters a sense of contentment and reduces feelings of inadequacy.
It provokes the thought that we may feel our worst when we assume we are at our best, thereby encouraging authenticity over perfectionism. Deciding to accept the moments of imperfection would relieve us from unnecessary pressure. You find a sense of peace and calm as you gain more wisdom. At this point in life, you cherish the present without fretting over the future or regretting the past.
Take this opportunity to reflect on your mental health and ponder whether you have given it the attention it deserves.
Hope you enjoyed the song:)
