1. In what area / field of mental health are you most interested in?
Answer: I am interested in Positive Psychology.
2. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what sparked your interest in mental health / your specific mental health interest.
Answer: I am a writer and try to concentrate on positive aspects of everyday life.
3. How have you been managing your mental wellness during quarantine?
Answer:
People across the planet try to adjust to a new situation. This situation definitely changes our day-to-day routine life. Unusual circumstances have the ability to bring on feelings of isolation, difficulties making personal choices and problem solving... As a consequence, a period of adaptation is extremely significant.
When people find something enjoyable or satisfactory for them, as a rule they do it better than the things that they don’t enjoy at all. Regardless of whether they want something or not, their mood can either help them or it can hold them back. Practicing the things that they like increases their life satisfaction, makes them happier and makes them more cheerful.
Reading, painting, drawing, writing, modeling, playing board games, designing and all the things listed above is hardly a complete list of activities that help with development when it comes to such exciting fields that rely on having a creative imagination and the ability for people to express themselves.
In a surprising manner, I have opened to myself up to it being much easier for me to start something new right now in comparison with previous years. I agree that sometimes it could be difficult and everyone needs time to search for exactly what everyone wants.
Personally I like archery, creative writing, listening to music, blogging, meditating, reading and journaling.
4. What tips do you have for those within your focus of mental health for keeping up their mental wellness during quarantine / era of COVID-19?
Answer:
- Find a quiet place.
- Turn off all your devices.
- Sit on the grass leaving all your thoughts far away (even if it is too difficult for the first time).
- Close your eyes and try to concentrate on the feelings, you have at that very moment.
- Try not to think about your past or future. Keep yourself in the present.
- Breathe slowly and relax.
- Pay attention to every sound around you (for ex.: Listen to the wind or singing birds).
- Open your eyes.
- Notice the things around you, think about them and pay attention to every element of such things.
- Come home, keep calm and write down all your experiences on paper.
5. How do you like to go through the day? Tell us what an normal day looks like.
Answer: Morning routine, plan my day, work, go for a walk, meditate…
6. Tell us what an ideal day for you looks like.
Answer: An ideal day…
Work/study hours and free time. These two areas of everyday life should always be kept in balance.
7. What would you like to do going forward to advocate for mental health / your specific area of interest in mental health?
Answer: Daydream.
8. What are 3 points of conversation in general mental health or your specific mental health interest that we need to have?
Answer:
- Motivation and Organizational skills
- Setting and Achieving your goals
- Facing your fears and being yourself
9. What else would you like to discuss? We would love to hear what other thoughts you have!
Answer: I would like to discuss gratitude.
According to different scientific researchers from Positive Psychology, grateful people have more satisfaction in their lives and with everything that they have. That is the reason why such people are happier. More than that, they most likely are ready to help others and do good deeds. However, not only is their level of happiness higher, but so is their level of optimism. So how could you teach yourself to express gratitude, and as a result of this, be happier and more optimistic both now and in the future?
One of the things that you could start with is writing a gratitude list. I think everyone has people in their lives, who have had a good influence on them; people who have helped us or people who have done something good for us. Perhaps you have experienced a situation where you can’t tell someone how grateful you are because they aren’t with you anymore.
First of all, think about people like this and try to remember the times you shared with these people. Concentrate on such things as who they were, where you were and what happened. Try to write as detailed a situation as you can.
Secondly, think about the influence this situation has had on your life. Describe how your life has changed after these people helped you or after these people met you.
Finally, write down your thoughts and feelings about these situations. Read it to your friend or a family member, or if you think that you were not ready for this, then just reread it for yourself. That will give us the positive results we crave.
LitStream Literary Magazine, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2021