Words That Can Lift My Heart

Over the past few weeks, I have been explaining the contents of my MENTAL HEALTH FIIRST AID KIT. I have looked already at:

…and this week I am considering the effect of words!

Whenever I have been through a challenging time, a period when stress is overwhelming or my spirits are very low, I have to admit one of the things that annoys me most is cliches. In addition, I have been through stages when I had become so vulnerable due to chronic emotional exhaustion, that a powerful saying could have a dramatic impact on me.

I tried to explain this latter phenomenon when I wrote about sailing and tacking in the Annabelle Riley series. I was like a boat at times (or a car) that was told by someone else, “look, you are doing things the wrong way, you need to do this instead.” In my vulnerable state, I would effectively try a handbrake turn, drastically pursuing the advice of the person that had given me their wise words, and then finding later down the line, that it was not working. As I became more stable, I realized that with regards to most well-meaning advice, it’s a matter of tacking, or making more minor changes, to make some progress in accord with the prevailing winds, but never forgetting your destination.

Yet there are some sayings that I have carried in my heart, and they do cheer me up on rainy days, or when I know I am starting to feel overwhelmed by a challenge.

These are two of them:

They might not register with you particularly, and that is the thing about inspirational sayings, they are going to be something very much unique to you. So when you are preparing or updating your MENTAL HEALTH FIIRST AID KIT, choose wisely.

As for encouraging articles….well, nowadays, some of the articles or stories I have read over the years and drawn huge encouragement from, I can hardly remember where I originally read them. But I have written about some of them.

African Woman, Woman, Nigeria Woman, Black, Female — Eight Cows

Fisherman, Fishing Boat, Boat, Fishing, Sea, Water — There’s More Than One Way To Skin A Fish

I like the stories that impart power. The first story helps me to see that often we are treated harshly, without love, and than can have a profound impact on our esteem and wellbeing. But when we understand how precious we are, it is energizing.

I liked the second story, it does highlight how ridiculous the world economic system is.

I have picked some sayings and stories that have impacted me, and they remind me of who I am and who I am trying to be. Pick sayings and articles that will inspire and encourage you for your MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID KIT.