Hey Jude, for the past eight years I’ve been working extremely hard in mental health recovery and I’m exhausted s after eight years I’m better but still not where I want to be. Do you have any advice on how to keep going?
Thank you for coming to Asking Jude with your question. Firstly, I want to say that I am so proud of you for how far you have come on your journey! Recovering from mental health issues is no easy task and takes so much hard work, so I commend you on the time, effort, and patience you have put in to get to the point you are at right now.
This being said, I understand how disappointing it can feel about working so hard and still not be where you wish to be. After eight years of struggling, even if the struggling has gotten better, you must feel exhausted. It is okay to acknowledge that you are tired and feeling disillusioned but never to give up faith that one day you will fully be in the place you are hoping to be.
In order to keep motivated, my number one tip is to practice positive self-talk. Speaking to yourself as if you were speaking to a friend or family member who was struggling with their mental health is vital to ensure that you aren’t beating yourself down for taking time to recover. We tend to be much harsher on ourselves and can trick our minds into thinking we are failures, lazy, or simply broken. But, most use more compassion, understanding, and patient language when speaking to others, thus making the other person feel more supported in their journey. I certainly suggest speaking to others and gaining their support if you have not already, but I also think it is super important to be able to learn to speak to yourself in this same way.
Here are a few articles on the effects of positive self talk:
Hi there,
Thank you for coming to Asking Jude with your question. Firstly, I want to say that I am so proud of you for how far you have come on your journey! Recovering from mental health issues is no easy task and takes so much hard work, so I commend you on the time, effort, and patience you have put in to get to the point you are at right now.
This being said, I understand how disappointing it can feel about working so hard and still not be where you wish to be. After eight years of struggling, even if the struggling has gotten better, you must feel exhausted. It is okay to acknowledge that you are tired and feeling disillusioned but never to give up faith that one day you will fully be in the place you are hoping to be.
In order to keep motivated, my number one tip is to practice positive self-talk. Speaking to yourself as if you were speaking to a friend or family member who was struggling with their mental health is vital to ensure that you aren’t beating yourself down for taking time to recover. We tend to be much harsher on ourselves and can trick our minds into thinking we are failures, lazy, or simply broken. But, most use more compassion, understanding, and patient language when speaking to others, thus making the other person feel more supported in their journey. I certainly suggest speaking to others and gaining their support if you have not already, but I also think it is super important to be able to learn to speak to yourself in this same way.
Here are a few articles on the effects of positive self talk:
What is Positive Self Talk?:
https://positivepsychology.com/positive-self-talk/#:~:text=Jantz%2C%202016).-,Positive%20Self%2DTalk,flip%20of%20negative%20self%2Dtalk.&text=Positive%20self%2Dtalk%20sees%20our,be%20held%20back%20by%20them’.
Jordan Kadish