Do you have all your Marbles?

How are things going? Is everything alright? How is business going? Are you okay? How can I help??

Sometimes these questions are being asked in surface fashion without expectation of an honest reply. When there is a less than stellar reply, inquirers can tend to “pull away” as to not be somehow contaminated by negative energy a truthful answer might expose. ?

May is Mental Health Awareness month. I’ve noticed some posts on LinkedIn where posters’ reveal their struggles and the subsequent replies by the well meaning come in the form of typed words. Others scroll passed. Social media allows for comfortable distance. Actual support might be picking up the phone, or a face to face visit. While the level of interaction depends on the depth of the connection, when you have a friend, connection or co-worker you feel is in trouble make the time to do more than post. It takes a lot for anyone in trouble to openly admit it. Whether the reasons be personal or professional, this should not make a difference in gauging significance or validity.?

A major condition facing many people is Depression. It can feel as a loss of passion or direction and control. Like your marbles are on the loose. Its’ an isolated lonely place. It feels as a loss of self worth and clarity. A feeling a person is invisible and has somehow been forsaken. Depression is real for those that feel it, and live with it. Depression is a human experience -one that be brought about by a situation that is a phase and at its worst an on-going condition brought about by imbalanced brain chemistry. Whether a person experiences this during a life changing phase or it is ongoing, it can be truly detrimental to their well being. Not just in quality of life, but life threatening. Suicide is all too often the only action that can bring relief to those suffering.

In conversing with a variety of business owners and professionals they have shared that the amount of problems post Covid are actually higher than the past two years if you can believe that. Nothing seems to be flowing with ease for many people. Things stop and start only to stop again because of obstacles. It’s bewildering to even seasoned pros. We are obviously not in as much control as we would like think nor are told by gurus that we create by our thoughts. So does that mean those suffering are screw ups??No it means we as a collective are dealing with a whole lot of stress through times of great change. Anxiety, Depression and PTSD are experienced by a large percentage of the population in varying degrees.

Causes are numerous. On the business front whether it’s supply chain issues, worker support, inflation, financing, customer appreciation and loyalty, to doing everything supposedly right with out desired outcome, to being asked to do more for less money. Yesterday my mechanic just lamented customer push back on the costs when what he does is cheaper than a new car or used vehicle for replacement. People and businesses are being pushed to the limits, and some are breaking.?

We can not afford to focus our anger or frustration on politics or global upheaval. The blame game never works. The point is we are still in the phase of huge shifts that no one really knows the purpose of or destination in outcome. There seems to be bigger hands on the puppet strings orchestrating timing of events and circumstances.

I wonder if the majority of people regardless of age or advocation were polled and they honestly answered, if most would say that it is challenging mentally, emotionally, physically and financially to just move through each day, week and month. That they feel anxious and sometimes depressed. And there are those that are suffering even greater intensity the emotions brought by circumstances.?

In retrospect, having lived a few years I can say there hasn’t been a time where there hasn’t been some kind of upheaval or crisis.?I railed at the slogans two years ago that said…. “ in these uncertain times”.?Well no shit, most of life is uncertain. Yet these times, this interval feels more raw and confusing to me than life ever has before. Whatever this is, it’s a shared experience for the collective, for Us. Maybe the point is to live in the present moment, savoring whatever we can in whatever joy we can muster. And for some, that joy is completely absent due to Depression.?

So what can we do when feeling stressed and mentally wavering… we can seek support from those that listen without judgement, without fear of contamination, with grounded perspectives when asked for help. Finding that help can be dicey especially in professional arenas. Those in need may not know where to turn let alone how to ask for help. Businesses can help through reviewing their structures, policies and benefits to help those in need find that support. I am not a licensed psychologist nor profess professional advice however, I experienced loss when a close family member died from suicide. As individuals we can learn about the signs of depression and anxiety to help us be aware.?Here is one link I found, there are more. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/addressing-your-mental-health-by-identifying-the-signs-of-anxiety-and-depression

If we become a community based in the collective experience, that common ground, we will be present enough to help one another. Being the people that really are there for another human being instead of abandoning the conversation when it gets real. Just making the time to listen can be help enough for those stressed out. Someday the person you listened to, had compassion for, provided professional options or advice, may be your own saving grace when you find yourself in an ambiguous place of darkness. After all, we are all human beings having a human experience. Sometimes life is tough and we need to be honest about it, to accept help, to provide it and to rise out of it much as a Phoenix would ~ through the darkness into light. May you be blessed with health and happiness.?

In memory of Janet Ollis 1949-1973?