In light of Mental Health Awareness Week this year (10-16 May), I was inspired to write about obstacles. I will start by saying we all have them in our lives, big or small, important or petty, permanent or temporary, they give us a hard time and they remind us that we are vulnerable and human.
There are times when we feel that an obstacle is too big to overcome or it is impossible to do anything to alleviate the stress or suffering we have because of it. Is it really impossible or extremely difficult to overcome obstacles or is our mind playing tricks and our anxiety gets the better of us? Let's not decide yet.
When I was four months old, I contracted a virus that caused me to cough blood. I was hospitalised for a month in critical condition and my parents thought I was going to die. I didn't - clearly. That was the first obstacle I ever had to overcome in my life and I did, although unconsciously. I fought for my life and I won.
Since then I have been through orthopedic surgeries, loss of a parent, divorce, loss of grandparents, miscarriage, I was told that both of my babies would be sick - one before birth and one after - job loss, permanent mobility difficulty only to name the most serious ones. I can tell you with certainty that I was affected greatly by all these obstacles.
Yet I didn't give up and I kept fighting through whatever life threw at me. It wasn't easy, it never is, let's not kid ourselves. Perseverance and support network are key. Here comes the advice. Surround yourselves with positivity as much as you can. That doesn't just mean doing things you like for pleasure but also having people that bring you up.
The most important part of our lives are the connections we make with other people. Take a moment to think about it. Relationships, whether personal or professional, are key to a successful and happy life. A happy relationship can make you feel like you're flying while a relationship that breaks down can send you to depression or worse.
So reach out to people that inspire you, that want to see you succeed and that lift your spirit. Fight tooth and nail to avoid toxic people that drain you or have nothing to offer in return just because you don't want to ruin a relationship. It is not a good relationship if it isn't a two-way one.
Take charge of your life now because walking alone will only make the obstacles seem bigger and more serious. So protect yourselves and your loved ones fiercely and keep fighting for change, fairness and love.
"You may not control all the events that happen to you,
but you can decide not to be reduced by them."
Maya Angelou
P.S. Next free yoga class coming up next Saturday at 11.15 (BST) so please contact me here for the link if you want to join. Donations are always welcome here and you can see my services, including a SPECIAL OFFER, here. Namaste.
