This morning I saw an advertisement for a book which conflated “happiness” with “mental health” and it made me angry! Because surely if “mental health” exists at all, it’s about experiencing the full range of human emotions appropriately as you live a worthwhile life?

If you find you are sad, scared, ashamed or angry this is not a “mental health issue” it’s a normal reaction to life events.

Just this last week I’ve experienced a little pure happiness, deep sadness, some fear and at times I’ve been angry too. This is not my mental illness, I haven’t been depressed for a couple of  weeks. But it did set me thinking about the crap that a large number of social media users spew about happiness and mental health daily.

So….

If you need to know about living with mental illness and “mental health” forget all the quack “think positive and you will become anything you want” charlatans and speak to someone who knows. Like someone with a mental illness maybe?

Or alternatively just keep giving your money to the “self help gurus” who lets face it, have a vested interest in keeping you feeling bad about yourself. Because you can be “ANYTHING” remember?

But instead of wishing to be something/anything else. Take honest personal inventory, take stock of what you are good at and not so good at and accept the hand that you have been dealt. Then focus on your strengths and play to them with all the skills that you can muster and develop.

Live true to your values, accept who and where you are in life! Your actual life, not the bogus fantasy promulgated to make you feel bad.

Contribute all the good stuff that you can create, in as many ways as you can manage. Do good work at your job, take care of your friends and/or family, take care of yourself, find a contribution to something outside of yourself, develop a creative outlet.

Don’t be “anything.” Be you!

In contributing good stuff: work, time, fun, attention, love, creativity, help, humour, charity, kindness, insight, communication, you are giving to something or someone outside of yourself. Some won’t appreciate it and you really don’t need them weighing you down as you try to grow and develop.

Most however, do enjoy someone who takes the time to contribute and those worth anything give back! They give: help, feedback, support, appreciation, time, encouragement, a cup of coffee or even as I found today, a hug or two!

And those things you can absorb into your self esteem. By investing in yourself and your contribution you are bringing unique value to peoples lives. And to those that matter that’s precious and you can quietly say “I did that.”

Or you can buy another “self help” book, give more money to someone who probably has enough and feel bad that you still aren’t a billionaire or a ballet dancer. Or an otter! (Insert other adorable furry creature to taste)