Warriors Of The Mind

“I survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me.” – Joshua Graham

My life learning of dealing with the unprecedented times COVID- 19 infused into our lives. I believed miracles happen every day. On this Mental Health Day, I share my reflections and my thoughts of a life worth living.

In Japan, broken objects are often repaired with Gold. The flaw is seen as a unique piece of the object’s history, which adds to its beauty. Consider this when you feel broken.

COVID- 19 pandemic has laid enormous emphasis on mental well- being. Homes have broken and people have been shattered which has caused a lot of harm and damage to the mind, body and soul and the community at large.

A reflection of the last eight months takes me back to the coping mechanisms I imbibed to avoid feeling downcast, due to the churn of events that the pandemic steamed up . Honestly, it is not that I did not have my share of downs or bad times, they existed but something allowed me to get over them. So, as I mentioned earlier, reflection is what makes you learn and analyse how you coped with a positive mindset.

Creating something new made me energetic, enthusiastic and effective. Finding innovative solutions to the challenges the pandemic stirred up, was something that got me motivated, build my self- esteem and believe in myself. There was plenty of space for creation – how to do what we did in person, virtually? How do I groom myself in a different way that didn’t require that much of a physical touch?

Problem Solving was another tool or strategy that I used to keep me stop at nothing. Whether it was brainstorming with my boss, the team or the family, it allowed for a lot of thoughts to flow in and got me thinking. A different perspective allowed me to think deeper about the problem and come up with meaningful solutions that were obviously productive. Problem solving allowed me to listen actively, collaborate and depend on others to come up with solutions. It enhanced my connectivity with people enhancing trust.

Investing in relationships was another factor that added value. Taking time to speak with loved ones, colleagues, and acquaintances helped me realise the value each one brought to my life. ‘Ubuntu’ came alive and I could experience its true meaning. Humans cannot exist in isolation. We as a human race depend on care, connections, and the community. As South African social rights activist and Archbishop Desmond Tutu explained, “My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” He understands that the potential of human beings working collectively to achieve goals is infinitely greater than the potential of any individual.

So, comprehending the fact that I am because of others helped me realise I was not alone in this struggle and I could do my bit to make someone else feel better.

The World Health Organization had defined health as ‘not merely the absence of disease or infirmity but positive physical, mental, social and spiritual health’ (Vaillant and Vaillant, 2005[3]. Many years back this was not very relevant but today, it has become pertinent due to the lower levels of self- esteem and tolerance that we have. Instant Gratification has taken such a rise that waiting lends itself to immense anger and its side effects. Instant gratification is not completely bad. There’s nothing wrong with wanting or needing things, experiences, or products on time. It’s important to balance our desires with a realistic sense of timing and patience.

Tolerance was another attribute I practised – whether it was in the training sessions for the teachers, the house work not going according to its norm or whether it was trying to make sense to a stakeholder on the continuity of work, despite the pandemic. I wish to share the following thought that I read the other day. This is called a “30 seconds speech” and it was given by Bryan Dyson, the former CEO of Coca Cola.

“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. They are Work, Family, Health, Friends and Spirit and you are keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that Work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. However, the other four balls – Family, Health, Friends and Spirit – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, wicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for it.”

No relationship is worth giving up because of work or pressure that you create for yourself. So you need to get the imbalance right. This is something, I work on myself, consistently.

Meditation is something that lights up my day. The feeling of freshness, the power of spirituality and the power of breath makes you realise that life is worth living. Every moment you are awake makes a big difference and how you live it, adds value to your life and to others’ lives too. The pandemic has caused many a panic attack on the brevity of life however, I have experienced that idle thoughts, negative feelings can be wiped out of one’s mind with meditation.

As we celebrate Mental Health Day on 10th October, let us remind ourselves that we are what we are, based on our thoughts. Like the famous acronym goes – H.O.P.E Hold on, the pain never ends; trust yourself, believe in yourself, and hold on. Nothing can be so bad that you cannot handle it. Ann Graybiel of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her colleagues have shown that a region deep inside the brain called the striatum is key to habit-forming. When you undertake an action, the prefrontal cortex, which is involved in planning complex tasks, communicates with the striatum, which sends the necessary signals to enact the movement. Over time, input from the prefrontal circuits fades, to be replaced by loops linking the striatum to the sensorimotor cortex. The loops, together with the memory circuits, allow us to carry out the behaviour without having to think about it. Or, to put it another way, practice makes perfect. No thinking required. Practice positive thoughts.

Fix problems with positivity, talk to people who are reliable and give yourself credit for how far you have come. COVID- 19 could have raised our anxiety levels but that is the beauty of life. It throws you out of gear to witness the way you steer it back into progress. Our life is in our hands – let’s make it worthwhile as long as we have it.

Sunalini Benjamin
Chief Operating Officer
VKGI

References:
https://medium.com/thrive-global/ubuntu-i-am-because-you-are-66efa03f2682
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23130930-700-break-bad-habits-by-hacking-the-autopilot-in-your-brain/#ixzz6aBNCUplI.

Message from the Chief Operating Officer

Communication bridges relationships. An institution needs a healthy relationship between stakeholders and VKGI is grateful for the support of its stakeholders. A few updates from the Chief Operating Officer is exhibited in the October Newsletter.