- ABC of Mental Health
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- ABC of Mental Health
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 Celebrating Exceptions since it is the Leap Year. We bring it to your inbox this Thursday to make your Thursday a little therapeutic!
One relevant recommendation:
Reflection: Reflecting on your experiences of overcoming challenges or standing out in exceptional ways during the past year. You could jot down moments where you felt like you were shining stars despite the odds or times when you embraced the unexpected with resilience. You could also reflect on the lessons learned from those experiences and how you’d like to carry that strength and resilience forward into the future.
Two quotes on Exceptions and Strengthening your Narratives:
Albert Camus, a French philosopher, author, and journalist known for his existentialist themes says:
"In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer."
Condoleezza Rice, an American political scientist and diplomat, offered the insight:
"Life is full of surprises and and serendipity. Being open to unexpected turns in the road is an important part of success. If you try to plan every step, you may miss those wonderful twists and turns."
Three TherapyShorts from TST (to make this year exceptional)
Push your own boundaries (in personal AND professional life): Identify projects or initiatives that challenge the status quo and encourage individuals to push beyond traditional boundaries. For example, a you could set aside some reflection time each month to review and incorporate explore unconventional ideas and experiment with different ways of doing things.
Celebrate failure as a learning opportunity: Shift the narrative around failure by reframing it as a natural part of the learning process. Encourage individuals to embrace failure as an opportunity for growth, reflection, and resilience. Share stories of failure and lessons learned to inspire others to persevere in the face of adversity. Remember playing games as kids? It’s an important life lesson - you can’t win them all – you do lose some too.
Build a culture of adaptability: Cultivate a culture that values adaptability, flexibility, and resilience in the face of change. Encourage friends, peers, colleagues, (and possibly mentees) to embrace uncertainty, adapt quickly to new challenges, and remain agile in their approach to problem-solving.
Love and light,
The Social Therapist
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