Week 4 – Sounds
During May, all over the world, mental health advocates have raised awareness of our lived experience by dedicating 31 days to breaking down stigma. We did that together, just as we do with our mental health recovery.
Building support from family, friends, co-workers or houses of worship helps us to build confidence that we’re worthy and to empathize with others who doubt their own strength.
As I’ve meditated about how the sheer beauty of Mother Nature’s gifts can help us, I’ve had the time to dwell on how colors might be the first things I notice. They are, after all, the bright sights that contrast with the dull colors of winter.
Then, as you read the thoughts I share as a mental health speaker and consumer advocate, you could see that, by simply closing my eyes, I discovered that I can smell beauty too. I realized something else: With my eyes closed and by staying in the present, I also heard sounds that fill me with faith, hope and inspiration.
To share this with you, I listed some sounds in my journal, a tool that many of us with lived experience use daily to relieve depression, anxiety and other symptoms of mental illness. Here are the ones that rang loud and clear, that I couldn’t deny were lifting my spirit naturally:
- Gentle wind chimes
- Lawnmowers
- Kids playing baseball
- Dogs on walks with their beloved masters
- The thump of basketballs
- An ice cream truck
- Snippets of conversations between friends walking in the park
- Music coming from cars and windows
I couldn’t let go of this phenomenon of the power and beauty that comes from the sounds of May. Then I had a profound thought.
When mental health organizations designated May as Mental Health Month, did they remember that during that month, our entire nation honors the people who have served our country by risking their lives in war? Does the world understand the impact of such trauma on the mental health of people who protect us? Do we encourage them and their family members to seek effective treatment? Can we find a way to help them overcome the pervasive stigmas that surround mental health?
By now, all of the charity walks and bike rides are most likely over, as we move into summer. We’ve all been courageous during May in stepping out and getting involved in some way, however small.
And as we close out Mental Health Month, I remembered that soon, I’ll hear the sounds of Memorial Day – bands and fireworks and the sounds of people on Ferris wheels. This year, I’ll also intentionally honor veterans, along with people who manage mental illness, addictions, and trauma, and who work so hard to overcome them.
In the coming year, I urge you with my heart and soul, to consider beauty itself as a gift, stay still and remain in the present. Look for colors, but also close your eyes, so the scents and sounds unique to spring remind you that you’re loved by God, that stigma can be beaten and recovery from mental illness is more than possible, it is probable.
About the Author
Carol A. Kivler is a nationally recognized mental health speaker, international executive coach/trainer, and author. Most importantly, she is a passionate consumer advocate for mental health. Carol is available for speaking engagements in the U.S and internationally. Email or call Carol at (609) 882-8988.
