I mean it when I said in the title of this article that our mental health is the single most important health of all. It can dictate how successful you become or how much suffering you endure.
Imagine a little black boy who is hearing impaired and has a speech impediment. Imagine a little black boy who struggles daily to hear in classrooms, on the playgrounds, in churches, and at home. Imagine that same child struggling through the difficulties of being understood because his speech is not comprehended by his age group. Imagine a little black boy who does understand why he is incapable of doing things that others could do mentally at his age. Imagine a little black boy who felt mentally helpless because he could not hear. Imagine a little black boy who is a fatherless child parented by a single, hardworking black mother who is barely home due to her having to work multiple jobs. Imagine a little black boy who could not understand himself because he had no male figures around to help him with the issues that he began to discover as a male. Imagine that little black boy who does not understand why he has to be in school if none of the males in his family has ever gone on to complete their college education. Imagine that little black boy who did not get along well with teachers because they too were insensitive and would make fun of him along with everyone else.
That little black boy was not well mentally . He had no diagnosable disease such as ADHA, alzheimer, or bipolar disorder; rather he did not believe in himself or the values that he could propel him forward into this world. His low self-esteem can be smelled from a mile away as he hides his identity under a hoodie to shroud himself from those who know him well. He doubts that there is a reason for existing. He looks in the mirror every day and sees features that he does not like. Most stemmed from the comments he has heard people make about him such as: his "oversized head; his multiple scars on his body; his chipped teeth", etc. He has thoughts of committing suicide because he believes that he is not good enough for the world that he lives in. His thoughts wander around, he questioned himself, "Will I ever be mentally capable of doing the things that my age group can do?" These insecurities extends beyond the earth's stratosphere and wander in his life every hour of his youth, having values did not mean much. The few friends he has, does not stay for long leaving doubts in his mind that he is capable of having life long friendships. These issues accompanied by the constant switching from one school to another for mental improvement and the lack of stability have all affected his mind deeply.
That being said, so much negativity can destroy a child's sense of self-worth and causes him to believe that he is not fit for life. To transform his life, all that little black boy has to do is believe in himself and believe in his loved ones that know that he is special and that he can do great things. Soon, he begins to find for himself the happiness that he desires and deserves. He no longer shrouds himself with hoodies but begins to walk with his head held high. He embraces the fact that his challenges do not determine who he is. That boy is me.
Rather, l became determined with every second to become mentally healthy. By spending more time with family, I began to love the person that they all saw and loved in me. Soon, others began to respect me for who I am and saw that I embraced every challenge that came my way and stood up to those who did not give me the respect that I deserve. To myself, I said "Enough is enough. I want to be happy and fall in love with myself. I can be great!" That little black boy shattered every obstacle that came his way and overpowers all the negativity that came his way and has become successful in all that he has done.
Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can or can't, you are right." All it takes is one thought to change your mental makeup to affect your life each and every day. If you believe that you can not do it, your mind will have you believing that you are incapable of doing so. As a Christian, my favorite verse is "A broken spirit dries the bones, but a merry heart does good like medicine." I am determined to be merry.
