January has been a tough time for my mind to really cope with. In fact, I haven’t coped with it.

Within the first week, I had to reach within and hide. I didn’t post anything but the bare minimum, had days where I forgot to connect on twitter and stopped leaving the house for anything but work commitments. I missed a lecture and meditation class this week because I couldn’t face the bus, the noise, the people, the cold, the concentration. I even began my old habit of sharing images on facebook so people could assume I was alright, and that I’d been social, without having to say anything to anyone.

While dealing with a mental health relapse, I found a couple of interesting posts on various blogs, but in this state, either made me focus on how bad I felt, or on attempting to climb back out of the pit. I didn’t really want to do either; and wallowing is much easier for me.

Softness

Today, I awoke to a sense of self-compassion; something that I’ve been missing lately. I began to browse blogs again, and found Christine Kane’s article on smiling after challenge, and noticed a particular comment she made:

“That’s because when it comes right down to it, happiness is a lot about training.”

I sat and stared at that sentence. Happiness is about Training your Mind. That kind of rings true… and of course, it’s the whole point of this blog.

I wanted to share all that I know about training the mind to be healthy, happy and effective at learning, feeling and being.

I have all this knowledge about Meditation, Gratitude, Visualisation, Learning, Associations, Triggers and Re-defining. That’s how this blog came to exist, and what I intend to use it for.

Routine

It’s been nearly a month since I felt this ground rising up around me, and through the last week I’ve begun to climb back out. Not by fighting to train my mind again, but by gently bringing tiny routines back into my life:

- It’s day 6 of my continued exercise routine (and in giving myself permission to just have a 6-minute routine, I found no resistance.. which led to me doing it 3-4 times a day!).

- It’s also day 5 of writing a new novel with characters I’m passionate about getting to know.

- Today was my final anatomy lecture, so I’m finally able to address this anxiety about the exam by revising the whole course.

- I’ve been watching Top Gear and HIGNFY, rather than the informational shows on Physics and Nature – because I needed that humour to heal: that space from learning.

- I’ve finished FOUR books this month (one was almost 800 pages!) and I’m ¾ through another. I may even finish 5 this month. Compared to last year where I read only 12 books; I’m feeling so good about that.

Noticing Patterns

I currently have a placement within a psychiatric hospital, and there are two major things that inpatients want. They want to connect with their friends and families; and they want images to put up beside their beds. Images that will bring them comfort, safety, personality and hope. They can’t necessarily exercise or watch humorous programs or read or write… especially not with the kinds of medication they’re on. But there is this intrinsic knowledge in nearly every patient I’ve met so far that they have this need for a personal touch, for something of them in a room of depersonalisation and a space of illness.

That’s a step they take, much like my own process. Tiny little steps, tiny remembrances of how I exist, how I’m defined, how I cope. These are my steps to solid ground again. And these are probably the most important part of mental well-being; knowing those steps. Even if you need to wallow for a while; knowing how to get out of it when you’re ready is key.

Christine also explains a key understanding of the “goal” process.

“But the thing is – no matter how fast you walk towards the horizon – you’re never going to ARRIVE at the horizon.  That line where earth and sky meet will always be out in front of you.”

It’s something I never remember, especially when I’m feeling bad and can’t explain why. It’s something I know, but can’t access the knowledge of. These little steps are the easiest, and perhaps most effective… But it’s important not to focus on the horizon, just focus on where you want to put your feet next.

Your Opinions

What would your personal steps be?

What do you do to rest your mind, or to immerse it in a pleasant state?

Do you believe the mind can be trained to feel or to deal with feelings differently?

– Rose –