It has been a VERY long time since I have written in my blog. The chaos of life takes over and consumes my time. However, I am thankful for that. It means that I don’t have a lot of downtime to be anxious or depressed, although that creeps in all too often.
Abraham Maslow was a Humanistic Psychologist. He gave us the Hierarchy of Needs. He believed that if we hit the wickets on the hierarchy we could achieve self-actualization. In laymen’s terms self- actualization is the ability to reach our highest potential; our best self. However, that can be impacted by one or more of those steps in the hierarchy becoming disrupted. So, in the quote, he is saying that in order for an individual to be happy, he/she needs to work towards achieving the best possible outcomes in this life. If you half-ass it, for lack of better terminology, you will be miserable.
Far too many people are seriously unhappy. It is easy to see why. The world we live in is in total upheaval. There is a great deal of judgement floating around. That makes it much more difficult to find balance. On top of that, we just experienced a worldwide pandemic that locked a lot of folks down for over a year. In fact, some people are still on lockdown. Couple that with job loss and other stressors, and you have the perfect mix for declining mental health. So, where does that leave us, and what do we do? Can we achieve happiness in such an unbalanced world? That question is difficult to answer. Is it possible? I believe it can be.
May is Mental Health Month. With that in mind, maybe it is time to take an internal assessment of where you are with your mental health. Many are struggling right now, understandably so. Always know that there are professionals who can help when you need it. Telehealth has been a wonderful tool in such a crazy time. You can connect with mental health providers who specialize in areas of expertise without even leaving the comfort of your home. Medications can often be shipped or even delivered in real time now. There are ways to find happiness by achieving balance in your mind and body. You have to be brave enough to do the heavy lifting, but your efforts will be rewarded.
Don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Don’t drown. Someone has a life raft. Suffering in silence will surely disrupt the climb up the hierarchy, but with the right support you can navigate through the fog of uncertainty and find the sunlight again!
Today I am thankful for my health. I have Type II diabetes, but I’m alive and I’m here. I have managed to maintain my weight after losing 50 lbs in 2010. I have been able to strive for a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes it’s a struggle, but for the most part I have it good.
Tracee Ford 