Mental Wellness: I Deserve Better Than This

It’s that time of the month again, folks – no, not that time. Theme day time here at b5media’s Science & Health Channel! Our theme this month revolves around resolutions, and for the past month I’ve been sitting on the perfect New Year’s resolution for all of us.

Now, before you hit me with an eye roll/groan combo and navigate away, hear (read?) me out. This isn’t your usual New Year’s resolution. We’re not going to hit the gym every day, drop 20 pounds, quit smoking, or find a significant other.

Unless, of course, you want to. Unless you feel you deserve it.

In which case, this simple multi-purpose New Year’s resolution is for you.

During the December 2007 NAMI meeting, our Program Development Specialist shared with us that she adopts a new saying each year. For 2008, her saying is “I deserve this.” I thought about this saying throughout the meeting, on the way home, and, until last night’s meeting when she added the word “better.” Last night, our Program Development Specialist announced her revised version of her personal saying for 2008: “I deserve better than this.”

Better than what?

Over the past few years, I’ve endured a number of setbacks. Disappointments. Blows. Mishaps. Whatever you want to call them. They dealt with my personal, professional, romantic, and family lives. Actually, you name the area, and I’ve had some sort of setback. Some were serious, others only seemed serious at the time. Some were relatively out of my control, others were my own doing.

But they all had one thing in common: I deserve better than them. My mental wellness deserves better than them. And to make sure I get better, I have to:

• Remove unnecessary stress from my life and prevent new unnecessary stress from taking hold.
• Change the ways in which I react to certain situations. Even if a situation is out of my control, my own behavior is not.
• Start focusing more on what I want and need out of life, rather than on what other’s want for me or how my wants and needs will affect another person’s plans.

These may all sound like New Year’s resolutions by themselves, but together they can all be accomplished thanks to this simple but powerful saying.

So, for 2008 I challenge you all to adopt this as your personal mantra, too. It will help you with current life situations. For example, are you avoiding seeing a mental health care professional because you think you can’t afford it? Then get off your tail and find ways to help pay for health care, because you deserve better. Is a mentally or physically abusive significant other crushing your spirit? Then re-evaluate your relationship, because you deserve better. Would your body be healthier and your self-confidence be restored if you lost that extra 30 pounds? Then throw out the junk food and head to the gym, because you deserve better.

And, it will help you with new life situations as they’re presented to you. For example, whenever you find yourself at a crossroads – at a point in which your own actions or reactions will determine your future – think about the possible outcomes and choose the actions or reactions that will help you obtain exactly what you deserve – happiness and mental wellness!

For a complete list of our New Year’s resolution theme posts, check out Kendra’s wrap-up, Science and Health Theme Day – New Year’s Resolution Style.

(The above super cool image is from vernhart.)