Things are opening up, and life is beginning to show signs of returning to ‘normal’ (whatever that is!). I asked in last months article, ‘Do you want life to continue exactly as it was before’? Well it looks like we aren’t the only ones asking that question….a poll by the Guardian in the UK reported that only 13% of working parents wanted to return to the ‘old normal’. They want life to be different, and this pause has given people a chance to look around and see what they would change. This speaks perfectly to the theme of ‘re-imagining yourself’ that we worked on here https://thedmcclinic.ie/re-imagine-yourself/.
So, if the world around us is changing, and the majority of people want to change with it, the most important thing to ensure is that we stay happy and healthy in doing so. Building on the personal development theme of ‘visualisation’ that we discussed in a recent blog, we aim to ‘pivot’ to our new reimagined existence in a fashion that makes us grow and helps us flourish, as opposed to experiencing the worries and anxieties that can typically come with change. In other words, we need to work on being calm and happy while we change. HOW? A ‘one size fits all’ approach is not feasible when it comes to such a personal undertaking. There are many approaches and tools used at the DMC clinic to aid people in the journey of personal devilment. One such approach is by working on a ‘positive psychology’.
Positive Psychology is grounded in what makes life worth living: the study of what constitutes a happy life, what gives you purpose, what make your life meaningful. The science of Well-Being. There is more to life than just ‘surviving’. Most of us want more than that, we want to feel fulfilled, we want to feel that we are living an engaged life. An important question to occasionally ask ourselves is ‘is what I am doing good for me?’. All of this is individual to the client, but in therapy clients are afforded the time and space to explore what factors are the biggest contributors to their happiness and development. Over time as clients pivot more and more to these factors, there is an evident boost in self-esteem and self-worth
My observations of my own development and the personal development of clients also highlights something interesting. As we work on ‘visualisation’ and ‘re-imagining ourselves’ (as discussed last month) we are forming a positive optimistic view of the future. When we work on ‘Positive Psychology’ we increase our levels of contentment, fulfilment and purpose in the present. Both of these combined draw us away from being hung up on the past, and trapped in regrets. I’m not saying that focusing on the past is always a bad thing. In fact, you may not be able to enjoy the present, or move forward until certain things in the past are addressed and worked on. But personal development for the most part is focusing on the present and the future.
In closing, there is so much change in the world now that people seem to be unwillingly (mostly) to return to their old habits. There is enormous focus on personal development, and if you would like assistance along the way, therapy sessions can be enormously beneficial. With clients seeking personal development my aim is for a general shift in viewpoint to ‘feeling at peace with the past, living positively in the present, and looking hopefully to the future.’
Visualise what you want to change. Stay positive on the journey.
The article is written by Noel, Newly Qualified and Pre-accredited Counsellor at The DMC Clinic. If you would like to discuss how any of the topics mentioned above are impacting your mental health, please contact The DMC Clinic to arrange an appointment.
