When I worked as a creative in advertising there was a great importance on winning awards (probably still is). It proved that not only were you creative but you were good at convincing people to buy stuff they didn’t know they needed or wanted. The chances of your career ascending, was generally dependent on winning a few of these prized doorstops.
Tonight I’m going to an award night of a different kind; it’s the 2018 Australian Mental Health Award and I’m one of 6 finalists. I’m not fazed whether I win it or not; it’s simply a great honour to be nominated. I’m up against 5 amazing people who are either mental health practitioners, scientists, researchers or people within the community doing incredible work helping others in improving, understanding and educating all things mental health.
My mental health journey started when I lost mine. It would be fair to say I’ve had some pretty ‘out there’ experiences in life but none were quite as frightening, debilitating and utterly perplexing as depression. There is a great line from a movie called ‘Withnail and I’ where the main character says ‘Oh my god! I feel like a pig shat in my head!’ Which I think sums it up quite nicely.
It’s not something I’m in a hurry to repeat and it’s not something I would bestow upon my worst enemy. But – if I had a special ‘History Eraser’ button I wouldn’t touch it because I wouldn’t be sitting typing this. I wouldn’t be writing and illustration books or giving talks. Nor going to an award ceremony tonight with my family at my side.
It was without a doubt my greatest teacher. I learnt that I had that sadly I had to just about lose everything in order to understand what was really important, who was really important and how to live life fully. It taught me that we become as sick as our secrets. What we suppress typically finds an unwelcome way of expressing itself. Therefore it’s important to learn how to communicate authentically. How to reach out for help and receive it, should we need it. How to own our adverse situation (what ever that might be) but then to move consciously and patiently towards it’s ‘positive’ opposite.
It taught me that although we may feel alone, we are not. Mental health issues are not unlike physical health issues; they are common and in most cases; highly treatable.
I’m not suggesting for one minute that we need to have a ‘hell experience’ to value life but I strongly believe that prevention is the greatest cures. That is, don’t wait for the wheels to fall off the trolley (whilst hurtling down a hill with you in it) before trying to do something about it.
We humans are constantly hunting happiness, which in truth is fleeting. Where as a life of ‘living well’ is sustainable and can last a lifetime. I’m sorry to report there isn’t a quick fix or magic pill, but there are many simple, powerful, subtle things we can do to make a massive difference in our lives, they are:
Eat well.
Make good sleep a priority.
Learn to communicate authentically.
Exercise regularly.
Know your limits.
Take time out.
Learn to quiet the mind.
Make time for being in nature.
Give of yourself and your time in helping others.
Be around those who make you feel good.
Have an occasional gut laugh.
Rinse and repeat – often.
