by Ed Peston, Communications Assistant at Inclusion Barnet
I was looking at an article containing 40 inspirational mental health quotes which I promoted in a previous issue of the Barnet Voice for Mental Health newsletter, and was struck with how much just reading these quotes made me feel better and got me out of a negative mindset.
This is the article:-
40 Inspirational Mental Health Quotes to Help When You Need a Little Extra Support (From Good Housekeeping)
I thought I would therefore reflect on this experience to see if I could learn any lessons which might potentially resonate with others as well.
In my experience, getting positive insights into oneself and the world can come in a number of ways. Sometimes this might be through real world relationships, including family, friendships, work colleagues or with a therapist.
Books, films and other media are another source.
But one of the things about reading inspirational quotes from others is that you can receive the wisdom of someone without ever having known them personally or met them, or indeed without meeting anyone who has found the quote useful.
This can sometimes be a good strategy if one is having anxieties about interacting or if illness prevents one getting out and about. Many such quotes are freely available online.
And the fact that a quote has become recited and reproduced means that it has been found valuable by a lot of people. So, if you find a quote insightful this can partly be because you can be sure many others have found it so too.
For example, take the following quote by Dan Millman:-
“You don’t have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you.”
I found this helped me understand my inability to control my thoughts and made me worry about it less, because built into the quote is the suggestion that others have a similar experience and that thoughts are just thoughts.
Similar to this is John Green’s quote:-
“There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.”
This suggests to me that one’s mental state is not always a fact, providing scope to move into a more positive frame of mind and life situation.
Then there is the following quote by Albus Dumbledore
“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”
Although from a fictional Harry Potter character, I find this very reassuring, and it makes me worry less about what may lie ahead. There is wisdom built into it that I as an individual would not be able to fathom without this external perspective.
If any of the above ideas help you to feel better, you may want to seek out further examples, such as at the following:
Positive Quotes (From KeepInspiring.me)
200+ Motivational Quotes To Encourage Your Success (Shopify blog)
Thanks for reading!