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The world we live in right now is as uncertain as it has always been. Yet this year has given us a first-hand experience of how fickle this universe can be. You either adapt to the changing times or you stay stuck and lose everything. You keep on fighting others to survive. One more fight that everyone must take part in is the fight within. The fight between who we think we should be and who we are. But no one talks about this fight; everyone is focused only on surviving that they forget that our existence is for flourishing and not just surviving.
Flourishing means to live at an optimal level of human functioning. It means that we find meaningful work, which gives us fulfillment in our lives. We can connect to people around us at a deeper level. To flourish is to live a good life filled with happiness which is composed of three major elements- positive emotions, engagement, and meaning according to Dr. Seligman, author of Authentic Happiness. This sounds good but the path is not easy. Growth is never linear; you feel like you are on the right track one day and on the other completely lost.
Growing as a person, trying to figure out your purpose, finding meaning in things is not easy. It's also something that can’t be taught but learned through experiences. In this time of uncertainty, these experiences help us get through any difficult situation, instead of wealth or status. How you handle any situation mentally not only makes who you are but makes more out of you.
Fortunately, this journey is not to be taken alone. The people you surround yourself with are the ones who help you grow. Along this journey you will keep all the real friends and relationships when you start working on yourself, setting clear boundaries, and respecting yourself enough to do what’s best for you. While doing so you will lose all the manipulators, attention seekers, narcissists who only destroy your mental health. But what's important is you need to give people a chance, you need to let people in, you need to interact to find the right support system for yourself.
Why is it important to keep a support system?
Well because human is communicable, and anything communicable it's more manageable. When we can communicate our feelings and thoughts that seem to be overwhelming at the moment lose their power once spoken out loud in a safe environment. They become less scary and more manageable. To do that we need people we can trust, the people who we are sure won’t judge us, will provide us a safe environment to share even the most irrational thoughts. I don’t think growth for a person is possible until and unless they are accepted for who they exactly are, loved for what they are right now rather than what they can be.
This brings us to a bigger question, this is what we need, but are we willing to give?
In India, Mental health awareness is quite low, earlier people have a support system of joint families. Things have changed so much as they do. But have we adapted? Have we caught up with this new wave of change so we can flourish or are we still in survival mode?
To read the further articles please get your copy of Eastern Panorama November issue @http://www.magzter.com/IN/Hill-Publications/Eastern-Panorama/News/ or mail to contact @easternpanorama.in
