Building Conscious Rapport for Our Mental Wellness
The great 17th century astronomer Galileo Galilei proposed a radical new philosophical theory of reality that qualities exist only in the consciousness of the observer: "tastes, odors, colors, and so on...reside only in consciousness. If the living creature were removed, all these qualities would be wiped away and annihilated." It began with an example when a tree comes crashing down in a forest, but only in the consciousness of the onlooker. No onlooker, no consciousness, thus, no sound.
What do these 17th century scientific and philosophical discourse have to do with mental wellness? The age-old example sounds simplistic and blunt, but it depends on the parallel definition of "sound" and "mental wellness". The inference of asking this question draws out the strange tension of consciousness in regard to mental wellness. Everything we consciously experience from sensory to emotions form our experiences. Am I conscious of my own mental wellness needs and if others are equally conscious of my mental wellness....?
The recent passing of troubled Matthew Perry is very tragic and a stark reminder that we need to raise our consciousness that some people like trees will crash without a sound. Perry, the epitome of an exceptional comic and successful actor led a traumatic life off-screen. Are we aware of our own mental challenges or of those around us in our daily lives? Most times, it is somewhat indistinguishable when high performers carry on stoically with a tense drain on the mental batteries. Is someone conscious of my mental well-being, observing or listening out? It is becoming common to see the growing variants of the Imposter Syndrome amongst high performers in the workplace and education institutions. Though it is not a diagnosable mental illness, it is certainly a critical actor to mental well-being that could cause burn out, a prolonged state where we feel emotionally, physically, and mentally drained.
The conundrum of social behaviors in a VUCA oriented and MSM filled society adds fuel to anxiety and emotions. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet for mental wellness but the gentle understanding of positive and negative behavior patterns is the beginning. The 19th century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer coined the pendulum theory that "life swings like a pendulum backward and forward between pain and boredom." While Schopenhauer is known as a philosopher of pessimism, his reference to pain is that of "unfulfilled desire, a longing for something we lack." This longing kicks the pendulum in motion but in reality, the thing we set our hopes on does not bring us the satisfaction we expected, but in fact an anticlimax. Do we identify this feeling of longing and anti-climax at some point in our careers or life stories? With such patterns, how did you kick yourself out of the swing of boredom or pain?
Focusing on self-awareness is the beginning of personal accountability and there are a variety of physical and meta-physical methods to build progressive self-awareness pathways that lead to various results. Whether it is grappling with "imposter syndrome" or escaping the deeply embedded "hero culture" , such battles cannot be won alone and requires the mobilizing of a support network of friends, mentors and coaches to build sustainable mental wellness. However, broken souls that pass a certain point often find it arduous to show vulnerability and their conditions are as invisible as strong currents in the deep ocean. You can play a significant part in advocating for mental well-being, whether at home or in the workplace.
Simple steps at first but it takes time to build empathy. One important element to maintain in any counselling situation, it is not about "projecting" yourself but allowing the other person to lean into your listening vibe. If the above activities resonate well with your values, it could be time to volunteer as a mentor or coach to specific communities that will benefit from your support.
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