A Willing Spirit

No one lives in a state of complete or constant mental health. By the very nature of life, it challenges us. We struggle with worry, we cry, we become frustrated and encounter setbacks. In the same way that we can develop and preserve our physical health, we can do the same with our mental health and meet the day-to-day challenges more effectively.

Mentally healthy individuals are not immune to problems or conflicts. They perceive reality as it is and can express their feelings. They can deal reasonably with other people. A core element of mental health is self-esteem. Self-esteem is the belief and pride in yourself that gives you the courage to reach out and try new things and to form close relationships with family and build close friendships. Self-esteem is that voice inside you that tells you, you're okay.

Self-esteem is not something you get from other people or are born with. If we are loved and cared for as babies we begin to develop self-esteem. Low self-esteem is regularly seen in people who have been abused physically or mentally. Taking care of yourself can go a long way to building self-esteem.

We must first take on the attitude of a willing spirit. If we want our lives to change, we must change it. Remember that this may be uncharted territory for you. You may be uncomfortable taking an optimistic view if you are usually a pessimist. When bad things happen to optimists, they only see it as a setback or temporary incident. Pessimists might think or say that they always screw things up. Dispute those automatic negative thought patterns.

Having a sense of humor helps us express negative feelings without causing harm to anyone else. Laughter really is the best medicine.

And finally, we can't solve all of our problems on our own. When we build friendships and relationships we find that talking things over helps us put problems or even ideas into perspective. Individuals who are connected to other people tend to be healthier physically and mentally. Social isolation is a major risk factor for illness and early death. Reach out to help someone and you will be helped. Take on the attitude of a willing spirit for change and watch your self-esteem soar!