When you have been struggling with mental health problems for many years or you have a child who has been struggling, you can start to worry about future. Will I be okay? Will my loved one be okay?
If you have touched the place where you or your loved one have considered suicide, it can be helpful to find people in your personal life or in the public world who inspire you. People in this world who have been where you are and have found healing and moments of peace or joy.
First look around you in your life – is there anyone who inspires you? If not, broaden your lens to celebrities or leaders in the public eye.
Here are three stories to inspire you when you’re scared, hopeless or worried. When a person shares that he has been suicidal, it can be a place to foster connection and reduce shame. Jane McGonigal, Tim Ferriss, and Andrew Solomon have very different stories that led each of them to consider suicide and then find a path towards healing.
Tim Ferriss: Why You Should Define Your Fears Instead Of Your Goals
It is a new year and often we begin with goals and resolutions for the year ahead. Tim Ferriss, who has been diagnosed with bipolar and had over 50 episodes of depression, talks about how fear-setting has been a much more powerful tool than goal-setting. Tim Ferriss is a successful entrepreneur who has a gift of sharing his vulnerabilities and learnings with compassion, insight, and depth. He has an excellent podcast and multiple books on the New York Times bestseller list.
Jane McGonigal: The Game That Can Give You 10 Extra Years Of Life
Jane experienced an acquired brain injury (ABI) and was at a point in her challenging journey where she was on the precipice of suicide. Jane is a video-game designer who used her creativity and outside-the-box thinking to find a route to healing that has inspired many others. This talk will have a two-fold benefit for parents. She gives parents reasons to consider the benefits of video-games when used in a mindful way. Screen time is such a hot topic with parents, and she offers research and humor along the way.
Andrew Solomon: Depression, The Secret We Share
If you have ever had depression or know someone with depression this TedTalk is vital to watch. Andrew Solomon is a writer and lecturer about psychology and so much more. He has multiple best-selling books. He shares his journey with depression and feeling suicidal with depth and wisdom. There isn’t one way to treat depression – it is a highly personal journey.
Who are your inspirations that lift you up on tough days?
