The Little Blue Book

Much of who we are, our one and only self, is carried in the imprint of our genes. However, we are also born into ‘a life’, an accumulation of experiences and influences that are specifically ours, and that, with our genes, inscribe much of who and what we are, who and what we might become. Our unique history, is part of our unique present. And the ‘accident of our birth’ – parents, family, environment, community – is the anvil on which our mental health and resilience, as much as our physical health, has been formed. Of course, much of the making of the adult is beyond our control. From the moment we were born, all of the things that have occurred in shadow and in light – our childhood, family, the adults around us, the traumas and the joys, the bruises and the loving arms – these are the things that sit as inked footnotes to our mental health as adults and can explain much about the person who catches our gaze and looks back from the mirror. But we are not captive to our history, nor of our genes – we can shape and strengthen our mental health and resilience just as surely as we can shape the arc of our lives. Whatever our experiences and upbringing, our life is an opportunity to become the best person we can be. To see ourselves not as ‘fixed’, incapable of change, but as a work in progress. And, while we might always be able to discern the hand of the sculptor, we each have ‘a best self’ inside: a person deserving of our love and respect. Our task is to find that person. It’s in the searching – in our moral questioning, in reflecting upon the interests of others in the context of our interests, and in our efforts to be the best we can be – where we will find contentment, find mental strength, and also discover the love and respect of those around us. So, give yourself the authority to live well – to make good choices, to surround yourself with good people, to be healthy and happy. Here are ten things we can do to help protect and strengthen our mental health: Finding your ‘best self’ - A work in progress RECOGNISING DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND OTHER DISORDERS 114