These days people are taking a lot about mental health everywhere. But just talking about it is of no use. We need to change ourselves to bring the change.
Along with sex education, mental health awareness sessions should also be made compulsory in our education system. Because these are the topics that we never discuss or talk about unless and until something happens that makes us realize its importance. But after some days, everything is back to normal, and no one cares. Another critical point is that if someone is suffering from any illness related to the brain, they are not called a patient; we refer to that person as mental, which needs to change because, like others, the mind is also a part of the human body. It is the most crucial part of our body, and being mentally fit is way more important than achieving any other fitness.

What is mental health?

Mental health can be described in one word – PEACE. If we have a calm state of mind, we are mentally fit. Anyone with a disturbed state of mind like anger, depression, hatred, etc. is mentally unfit. But this illness is a temporary state of mind and can be changed if everyone is as concerned about mental health as we are about physical health.

Why and How is everything connected to the brain?

Experience creates perceptions; perceptions create thoughts, thoughts create emotions. And experience depends on the culture of our surroundings. So the way we perceive the world defines the way we feel.

Now let’s see how our brain works logically.
We collect data from everywhere, i.e., our surroundings, but it has no meaning unless we process it into information. Also, information and knowledge are different things. Because we can google information, but we cannot google an idea because it comes with expertise, and expertise comes by understanding stuff. Also, most of the things or thoughts in our minds are running subconsciously, and we are not even aware of it. So any idea that comes into our mind consciously or subconsciously creates an emotion.

Our brain is programmed so that it releases some chemical messages or signals whenever we process any information. When this chemical travels from our brain to our body, we feel a particular emotion. There are some hormones responsible for releasing these chemicals. Hormones like Adrenalin and cortisol is released to prepare us to fight or from a threat. Hormones like dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin are released to make us feel good.

But sometimes, it happens that our emotions hijack our brains, so we cannot think at that moment. And so we say things in anger but regret it later. So everything we feel – love, anger, happiness, hatred, compassion, disgust, depression, fear, shame, sadness, surprise, pride, etc. is all generated by our brain. It’s just a state of our mind. And people blame the heart, but the heart is solely responsible for pumping the blood.
The reason why it is essential to practice conscious thinking is that it generates emotions. So one should follow the fundamental rule – Train your brain to control your thoughts.

Why and how should we try to change certain things?

Here we will discuss some of the points that we can relate to and how we can change it to train our minds.

The power of our thought

Why change?

We have configured our brain so that if something terrible happens, we start blaming something or someone. We start focusing on the bad things. Here’s where we go wrong.

How to change?

We all have heard about the law of attraction but never gave it a thought or believed enough. On the other side, we talk about destiny and karma. But nobody understands how it works. KARMA and DESTINY are about our soul and not just about this birth. So don’t just sit and blame destiny or karma if something terrible happens. Take some responsibility. The law of attraction works, everything we say, we think, we do, we attract that kind of energy.

That’s why people say, “Be positive.” Positivity can do magic. Just give it a try. Try being positive for a week, with no negative energy, and see the change it brings.

Spread love

Why change?

We have hyped so much about love that even the kids nowadays are in search of love. Here love is referred to as a relationship, having a girlfriend or boyfriend. That is mostly the reason why people are so eager about getting married today.

How to change?

Now spreading love and searching for love is correct. But the way we all are doing it is entirely wrong. Love doesn’t mean just being in a relationship, but one should crave the feeling of love. And we should find it first in our family and friends. But what we do is take them for granted and search for an unknown person we assume will give us the love that we never received, and we deserve it. If we think that way, then we have not understood the true meaning of love. Stop searching for a loving partner; if it has to happen, it will happen. Love means acceptance. Parents are the first ones to love us and love us more than anyone. Observe the little things that they do for us, the way we observe in our partner. Spreading love means being humble, being good, smile, and offer a helping hand.

Never assume or judge

Why change?

We, as humans, tend to judge people quickly. Like within seconds, we pass the judgment based on our assumption.

How to change?

Assuming and passing judgment is the first and foremost thing that we all need to stop. The assumption is far away from the truth, as it is said – half knowledge is a dangerous thing. Hence, it is essential to observe and then react. Never conclude unless you have all the information because half the information results in assumption and not the truth. One reason why people assume is that they believe in what they see and what they hear. But one should also try to see beyond what’s shown and what’s spoken. Because nowadays it very easy to contaminate or manipulate the truth. Also, many of us waste our precious time imagining about the future, that is also wrong. One should accept and live in reality because imagination leads to disappointment. Making a goal is great, but imagining you have achieved it without trying is wrong. So come out of the imaginary world and start living in the moment.

Trust your instinct

Why change?

It happens with us that we have a gut feeling about something, but we ignore it and then regret it later.

How to change?

Whenever we have a gut feeling, go for it. We should trust our instinct because it can warn you or tell you the things that no one can. It may be an answer in our exam or a friend in pain, or a stranger who felt like an old friend. It can be anything. Instincts are the vibrations that the body picks up that enable us to perceive the truth. And being mentally alert can enhance our instincts. So it very important to observe things and be aware of our surroundings.

Follow up on people you care about

Why change?

We all are often so busy in our lives that we forget to check up on each other and then regret later. Some of us don’t follow up due to hesitation. Something happened in the past, or you don’t connect very nicely, or maybe because of shyness. But if a thought has crossed our mind, we should follow that thought. Because somewhere we know it’s the right thing. Life is too short. It’s better to connect now than regretting it later.

How to change?

Well, there’s no need to tell how. Pick up your phone and call or text now. Knowing that someone is there who cares for you and will be there for you in the time of need makes one feel relaxed.

Be a listener

Why change?

Many of us don’t share what we feel or think with someone is because we don’t feel the other person will understand.

How to change?

Like everyone needs a helping hand, everyone needs a listening ear. And by listening, it means hearing the other person and understanding. If we communicate and listen to other people, most of our problems would disappear. Listening also means understanding what’s left unspoken by our dear ones. Just knowing doesn’t help; we have to be there if our instinct says they need help. Sometimes we stick to one solution or one conclusion because we can see only one side of it. So one of the reasons we should be a good listener is that we can have another perspective by listening to what we don’t know already, we can have another view, and we can process things differently.

Keep the hope alive

Why change?

People get disappointed and lose hope whenever they face any failure, or something doesn’t work out in a way they expected it to be

How to change?

We lose hope quickly because we are never taught how to face failure. Everyone, at some stage, is a victim of peer pressure because people expect too much. Excepting from others is very wrong; do we even fulfill our expectations? One should not expect, keep working in the right direction. Getting disappointed is okay, but we need to rise again. Think like there are multiple ways to reach from one point to another; we have tried one and failed. Now we need to get up and try the other ways that we haven’t discovered yet. Now we also have the wisdom we earned from the failure. So, Always keep the hopes high.

Respect yourself

Why change?

It is one of the most significant issues. We always blame ourselves for everything because we don’t respect ourselves.

How to change?

Lacking self-respect is a result of a lack of self-love. Everyone should respect themselves enough to say I deserve better. And distance ourselves from people or things that no longer offer us respect and happiness. We have to believe in ourselves. All we need is to have faith in ourselves. We have to be strong enough to let go of everything that doesn’t treat us right. Because the most important thing is inner peace, and one can only achieve it by giving up everything that doesn’t give them positive energy.

To wrap this up, want to say that it’s all in our mind. It is our responsibility to train our brain in the right direction. There’s no one that we should want to conquer each day than ourselves.

Let’s teach our brain to find PEACE, and HAPPINESS will follow. Let’s spread love and peace as much as we can.