I once faced a severe mental challenge about 15 years ago due to the stressful combination of unemployment and family conflict. I felt a deep sense of helplessness and loneliness along with a reluctance to share these personal feelings with others. I was desperate as believing there was no solution to the hardships that felt beyond my control.
However, a small but clear inner voice shouted that there were things I could do for myself during this dark time. I started going to the sports center without a SMART goal but just to walk. There was no speed counting, no heart rate monitoring and no time tracking. It was simply about walking, feeling and being with myself, free from the flood of hardships.
After several weeks, I gradually recognized that I was not the problem; unemployment and family conflict were the real issues. This understanding empowered me to decide how I could manage these problems or whether to accept them as they were, for any reason beyond my control.
With this aspiration, I began job seeking at my own pace and allowed space between my life and my family. It was not a straightforward journey, filled with ups and downs, but it moved in a preferred direction.
Now, I enjoy my work and family interactions something I could not well calculate, but I understand that this has come about through the way I’ve learned to let them be.
(Hi Mind HK, please feel free to add or not to add any photo that resonates with your vibe.)