Freedom to be Yourself

Hello! Welcome to another edition of the ABC of Mental Health, your partner in the journey to better mental health — one newsletter at a time. This week’s theme is the Freedom to be Yourself on account of India’s 78th Independence Day. We bring it to your inbox this Thursday to make your Thursday a little therapeutic!

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One relevant recommendation:

Create An Authentic Life Guide for Yourself: Let's create a personal manifesto to live our lives more authentically. Here are some reflective questions to get you started:

1. List Your Top 3 Values: Write down the 3 most important values in your life. Think about why they matter to you and how they influence your daily choices.

2. Define Your Core Beliefs: Jot down a few sentences about what you believe in—what guides your decisions and how you view life and relationships.

3. Identify Your Purpose: What gives your life meaning? It could be something you're passionate about or a way you want to impact others.

4. Describe Your True Self: Who are you when you’re being the most authentic version of yourself? Note a few qualities or behaviors that shine when you’re true to you.

5. Set 1-2 Goals: Pick a couple of simple goals or actions that help you live according to your values and beliefs. It could be a daily habit, a mindset shift, or a way to handle challenges.

Two quotes on Being Yourself and Aspiring for Authenticity:

Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American essayist, lecturer, and poet, emphasised the significance of authenticity:

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."

Lady Gaga, an American singer, songwriter, and actress, encouraged self-acceptance:

"Don't you ever let a soul in the world tell you that you can't be exactly who you are."Arianna Huffington, the Greek-American author, spoke about the biggest gift and challenge of the digital age:

Three TherapyShorts from TST

1. Being True to Yourself: In a collectivist culture, where we are always compared to others and norms of success seem to be defined by them too – it’s extremely important for you to discover who you really are, beyond what society expects from you or what you were “conditioned” to think of as good. For example, if you feel pressured to follow a certain career path because of family expectations, it may be helpful for you to explore what truly makes you happy.

2. Letting Go of Perfectionism: Many of us feel the need to be perfect, whether it’s at work, in relationships, or in how we look. An important life lesson is to know that it's okay to be imperfect. For instance, instead of stressing about making everything perfect for a dinner party, how about you focus on enjoying the process and learning to be okay if things don’t go exactly as planned.

3. Introspection and Reflection: Self-awareness is an important step to realise what works for you and what doesn’t. Introspection, or looking within, and listening to our bodies (and mind!) we can start to notice what makes us truly happy and what causes uneasiness or discomfort. By learning to recognise these cues, we can start to say “no” to things when you need to protect your time and energy. For example, if you’re always agreeing to extra work or social events that leave you exhausted, it may be helpful for you to learn to set limits that keep you healthy and happy.

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Love and light,

The Social Therapist