Feb 22, 2017
by Barb Green, Parish Nurse
Milton, WI
A goal for 2017 is to make our church families more knowledgeable about mental health issues so that we can all understand and support those who experience mental illness within and outside the church. There will be an article about a different mental illness each month this year. It seemed appropriate to start out with one definition of some actions that mentally healthy people exhibit. Don’t be concerned if you don’t measure up to all of them. No one does. They are suggestions for you to ponder as you think about your own mental health.
1. They move on. They don’t waste time feeling sorry for themselves.
2. They keep control. They don’t give away their power.
3. They embrace change. They welcome challenges.
4. They stay happy. They don’t complain. They don’t waste energy on things they can’t control.
5. They are kind, fair, and unafraid to speak up. They don’t worry about pleasing other people.
6. They are willing to take calculated risks. They weigh the risks and benefits before taking action.
7. They invest their energy in the present. They don’t dwell on the past.
8. They accept full responsibility for their past behavior. They don’t make the same mistake over and over.
9. They celebrate other people’s success. They don’t resent that success.
10. They are willing to fail. They don’t give up after failing. They see every failure as a chance to
improve.
11. They enjoy their time alone. They don’t fear being alone.
12. They are prepared to work and succeed on their own merits. They don’t feel the world owes them
anything.
13. They have staying power. They don’t expect immediate results.
14. They evaluate their core beliefs — and modify as needed.
15. They expend their mental energy wisely. They don’t spend time on unproductive thoughts.
16. They think productively. They replace negative thoughts with productive thoughts.
17. They tolerate discomfort. They accept their feelings without being controlled by them.
18. They reflect on their progress every day. They take time to consider what they’ve achieved and where they are going.
Rhodes 2013