“I wish, I wish with all my heart, that I can get through these next few months without falling apart”.
Reality check – life doesn’t go as planned. Sometimes we become victims of disappointments and pitfalls; we get locked away in our mental prison hoping to re-experience the bliss and magic of life on the playground. Actually, you can break free and it’s not as hard as you think.
Gosh, if you’ve had a rough patch growing up, while adulting or any circumstance that left you thinking it’s a cold, uncaring world out there – it’s completely understandable if you’re questioning life. After high school, I only had one option (work) upon entering the ‘real’ world. I hated the idea and often felt like I was navigating life on my own. Overtime, my body started to feel sick and burdened from a mountain of negative thoughts. I knew I didn’t want to go down like this – I had to escape, I had to fulfill my potential.
I learned back then that the mind is a powerful tool yet a deadly weapon. We need to be in control. So, if you believe in bad luck, I dare you to believe in bouncing back. Here’s how to break free:
1. Release (ya mind)
What’s worth getting hung up on or depressed over if it’s out of your control? …. “Aah , nothing!”. A recent study suggested that a person typically has more than 6000 thoughts per day. Negative thoughts can create a chain link; you spiral downwards, become trapped and ultimately wreak havoc in your own life . A mental prison is unpleasantly noisy, dark, stiff and funky. Really, no one wants to live there but sometimes we unconsciously waltz right in. Start by tuning into your thoughts and emotions, once aware – shift focus.
2. Try a 5-10 minutes meditation.
3. Create or Listen a ‘good vibes only’ playlist.
4. Journal your thoughts.
5. Go somewhere fun (the beach or park).
6. Exercise.
7. Read or listen an audio book.
8. Visualize
Just one positive thought could completely change your world. There are numerous techniques you can put into practice such as creating a vision board, goal card, utilizing a guided meditation, etc. Visualization is not just about what you want to happen, it’s about what you believe will happen.
During the pandemic, I spent months navigating a less than favorable WFH life. It was a social media group challenge that helped me to visualize and manifest a new home office. The power of visualization is real.
9. Reconnect with good people
You may have resistance doing this especially if your pitfalls came as a result of dealing with bad people. However, no matter how many times you’ve been knocked down there’s always someone who means good rooting for you. A reconnection can be with a neighbor, old colleague, schoolmates or something new from a networking event. There are no obligations to have a tell-all, instead find simple commonalities you can converse about.
There’s always light at the end of the tunnel. Some days you may struggle to believe that. However, breaking free from a mental prison is always possible and the process starts within. Give yourself grace, no guilt or shame while allowing your mind and body to expand into positivity. Soon thereof, you’ll be back on the playground (thriving again).
Sania Heath is a Caribbean native teacherpreneur, certified Talk With Me Baby Coach and creator of the Jet, Set, Spanish bilingual preschool membership program. When she’s not busy working with little learners, she enjoys inspiring others through her many life lessons.
