The Stories We Feel And the Lives We Live
We all love a great story. The twists and turns of a plot – heartstrings pulled, emotions stirred, the feelings evoked through carefully chosen words.
A good book can be hard to put down. The anticipation of what comes next can be so enticing. And then… when we reach the final page, it can feel like we’ve lost something. The story had become real to us; its emotions quietly intertwined with our own.
A book that makes you truly feel is one that stays with you.
And when we think about it, no great story is built on a perfectly smooth path. The most memorable characters face challenges, setbacks, uncertainty. It’s the ups and downs, the twists and turns, that make the journey meaningful.
Reflecting on what makes a truly great story brought me to think about Mental Health Awareness Week. Feelings, and how we understand and respond to them, are deeply connected to our wellbeing.
For a long time, mental health was seen as a taboo subject. Looking inward could be misunderstood as weakness, or even selfishness. But times have changed. We are beginning to recognise that taking time to understand our feelings it essential to wellbeing, and in no way a sign of frailty.
It’s through that understanding that we build strength, resilience, and confidence in ourselves. And perhaps most importantly, we begin to accept that ups and downs are not failures, they are part of being human.
Recently, I was chatting with a friend of mine about the word “struggle.” Often, we associate struggle with something negative, a sign that things aren’t going well. And that, in itself, can make those moments feel even heavier. But he offered a different perspective. A struggle, by definition, involves force, effort, resistance, energy. And if there is force, then there is direction.
So perhaps the question isn’t whether we experience struggle, but what we choose to do with it. We can allow it to pull us downwards, or we can use that same force to propel us upwards.
Being mindful of the direction we want to travel, and taking small, intentional steps towards it can make all the difference.
We’ve all heard the saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” This couldn’t be more relevant when it comes to mental health. Within our communities, we never truly know the full story someone else is carrying. Approaching our interactions with compassion, patience, and understanding isn’t just kind, it’s necessary. Because communities that support one another don’t just exist, they grow, together.
Recently, I’ve had the privilege of joining a community library as a volunteer. It’s something that aligns with my own direction of travel, supporting local cohesion, learning first hand more about volunteering networks, and giving back in a meaningful way.
But more than that, it’s given me something simple and powerful: A sense of belonging.
To be welcomed into a new community with openness and warmth is something that stays with you. And it’s a reminder of just how much impact small acts of kindness can have.
So what do I think really makes a difference to our mental wellbeing?
Stay connected
Whether through friendships, volunteering, or small daily interactions, connection builds strength.
Be present
Take time to be in the moment. Reflect when you need to, and when you’re ready, connect with others.
Use the force within struggle
Challenges bring energy, use it to move yourself in a direction that supports you and your growth.
Be kind, to yourself and to others
The way we make people feel matters. That includes how we speak to ourselves.
As the quote reminds us:“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
In our own stories, and in the lives of those around us, let’s choose to create moments that leave people feeling valued, understood, and supported.
Because long after the chapter has passed, those are the feelings that remain.
