A Mind-Full Journey

12/10/2022

Failure is inevitable in life, no matter who you are.

Unfortunately, many of us (including myself) allow failures to define who we are and we allow them to taint our sense of self-worth.

Believe it or not, failure is one of our greatest strengths and is a key factor in not only reaching our goals, but is essential to growth. In any capacity.

It is through our failures that we learn the most and cultivate success. Nobody has ever reached success without failure.

We should therefore not give up or run away from our failures, but should see them as an opportunity for growth.

We should therefore not give up or run away from our failures but should see them as an opportunity for growth.

11/10/2022

Some days I find it hard to get up.

I could list every excuse in the book but the crux of it is that my anxiety tells me that every aspect of my day is going to be overwhleming and unachievable.

Sometimes I give in and then end-up having to start my day in a rush because I hit the snooze button, and other days I find the strength to get up and slowly start my day.

Today was one of those days where my brain was screaming at me to stay in bed and not go to the 6am Crossfit class that I signed up for. My anxiety was screaming at me, telling me that I would never be able to complete the class and that I would be better off getting some more rest before work.

You see, our brains are designed to protect us, not to make us happy. I had to remind myself of this as I silenced the lies my anxiety was spewing at me, got up, got dressed, and showed up. And I am glad that I did.

It isn't an easy thing to have to ignore what your anxiety is telling you, and essentially your anxiety is trying to tell you something in order to protect you. But it is important to sit with those thoughts and separate the lies from the truth.

As hard as it may be sometimes, getting up, getting dressed, and showing up are one of the best things that you can do for your mental health.

You can do it, I believe in you!

10/10/2022

The theme for World Mental Health Day 2022 is 'Making Mental Health and Well-Being for All a Global Priority'.

While effective prevention and treatment options exist, most people with mental disorders do not have access to effective care. Many people also experience stigma, discrimination, and violations of human rights.

We are facing a global mental health crisis.

🟢 970 million people across the world struggle with mental health issues
🟢Anxiety is the most common mental illness in the world, affecting 284 million people, with 264 million suffering from depression
🟢 8 million deaths per year are attributed to mental disorders
🟢The mortality rate of those with mental disorders is significantly higher than the general population
🟢Over half of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment
🟢In 2020, the number of people living with anxiety and depressive disorders rose significantly because of the COVID-19 pandemic

In the face of this crisis, it is imperative that those of us struggling with mental illness raise our voices to break the stigma and for gornments, employers, and organisations across the world to not only recognise the crisis but to focus more time and energy on effective solutions.

We all need to stand together and raise our voices to make mental health a global priority.

#

10/10/2022

I used to hate Mondays, and in some ways I still do.

I recently decided to try change that...

So I decided that every Monday morning would start by enjoying a cup of coffee in my favourite mug and gazing at my fish tank.

It has certainly helped me feel more relaxed about Mondays and helps me to get into the right mindset for the week.

Do you have any Monday morning rituals ?
Let me know in the comments section below!

07/10/2022

It is Human Trafficking Awareness Week in South Africa.

Human Trafficking is a worldwide epidemic and also occurs here in South Africa on a more regular basis than we realise.

❌ It is estimated that 30,000 children are being prostituted in South Africa.
❌Half of these children are younger than 14 years old.
❌There are up to 10,000 child prostitutes in Johannesburg.

Here are a few things that you can do within your own communities to help prevent this horrid crime:

🛑 Learn more about human trafficking, particularly learning to recognise the signs of someone being trafficked
🛑Tell your friends, family, and community about what you have learnt and how they can prevent themselves and their loved ones from becoming victims
🛑Report people that you suspect to be victims
🛑Report individuals you suspect to be traffickers

❗ SOMEONE DOES NOT NEED TO BE TAKEN ACROSS A BORDER TO BE CONSIDERED A VICTIM OF TRAFFICKING. ANYONE WHO IS KEPT AGAINST THEIR WILL AND FORCED TO PERFORM CERTAIN ACTS (SEXUAL, LABOUR ETC) ARE VICTIM OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

There are a number of fantastic organisations in South Africa that are active in the fight against Human Trafficking. Visit their web pages and see how you can become a part of the solution.
(A21, Red Light Human Trafficking, Free The Girls: Fight Human Trafficking)

The only way that we will rid our country of this heinous crime is by increasing awareness and working hand-in-hand to stop it.

Be Proactive, Not reactive

02/10/2022

We all know that time is a gift, but how mindful are you of it in the moment?
We only tend to see time as a gift when the moment as passed.
When it is too late to appreciate it...

This is a reminder to be present in every moment.

Soak up every bit of it.

You will never live this moment again

23/09/2022

No matter how small you may feel, you are mightier than you know. Don't give up!

22/09/2022

We all experience moments in our lives where the world seems to be working against us and we have no control over everything.

During these times it is easy to fall into a rut and allow everything to happen and simply say that "it is out of my control". We sometimes even exacerbate our circumstances by allowing a wave of negative emotions to engulf us and simply give up.

We cannot control what goes on around us or what happens to us, but we do have control over how we respond to situations and do not allow ourselves to become reduced by them. by allowing a wave of negative emotions to engulf us and to simply give up.

21/09/2022

As we reach the middle of the week, here are some gentle reminders for you💚

16/09/2022

Happy Friday everybody!

As we head into the weekend, remember to set aside time to prioritise your mental health 🙂

16/09/2022

*Trigger Warning* September is Su***de Prevention Awareness Month, focusing on creating awareness and breaking the stigma surrounding this topic.

Despite an increase in awareness, su***de numbers continue to increase. And although there is a certain responsibility to the person to seek help, prevention starts with us.

Not only by being aware and informed but by being kind to each other.

As the famous saying goes, "Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”

***deprevention
***deawarenes

16/09/2022

We all experience strong emotions and have all taken this out on people around us. But as Dr. Caroline Leaf has put so beautifully, our emotions are not an excuse to externalise these emotions in an unhealthy way against other people.

Emotions are a check engine light indicating that something is wrong and this is something that we need to explore internally to gain understanding and healing.

As hard as it is, you CAN choose how to respond to someone. Regardless of how they have approached you, how you are feeling or what feelings they may have triggered.

You are in control of your emotions, nobody else.

Emotional maturity is validating your emotions and feelings, but also recognizing how they can impact others, and how to appropriately express them.

I discuss this idea and how to self-regulate and self-soothe in my book Cleaning up Your Mental Mess. Get your copy wherever books are sold (also on Amazon, kindle, audible) or visit: https://drleaf.com/collections/all/products/pre-order-cleaning-up-your-mental-mess