Living in a free country is a privilege we Indians have cherished for the past 76 years. Freedom is our fundamental birthright according to the constitution of India. We all know our Indian constitution doctors the fundamental rights of all Indian citizens, the most important being Freedom of speech and expression.
But have you ever questioned yourself about this right? “Do we feel free to express our feeling and have the freedom to give voice to our thoughts?”
As a life coach, I counsel people who live their life encaged with negative thoughts, failures in the past or fear and pain of losing a loved one. The worst of all is losing yourselves to depression, anxiety and a state of sad remorse which deepens the void inside us.
We tend to negate the positivity in our lives, making ourselves slaves to negative experiences. The reasons for this slavery might be endless and unique for everyone, but eventually, it’s the freedom we all seek.
Being a Life coach, one with her own happy and sad experiences in life, I want to act as a sounding board through difficult decisions and motivate people by sharpening their skills.
As I always say, Life coaches can solve difficult situations with a far-stretched vision. They can guide you on how to do things with a clearer perspective without getting stressed out and bring out the best in you.
Let’s peek into some common issues where I can help you to be a Freedom fighter rather than a caged slave.
Stress Management
Stress is an emotional feeling that leads to physical tension under circumstances that make you feel angry, frustrated, or nervous. It’s a reaction of our body to a challenge.
Our endocrine system releases hormones during stress that gives us extra energy and strength to cope with a stressful situation. Stress in low doses is good for your health and encourages you to perform well under pressure, like meeting deadlines.
I narrated a story in one of my youtube motivational videos on “How to forget memories?” It was about two monks standing at the river bank and saw a woman who wanted to cross the bridge. But due to bad weather, she was unable to do so. She pleaded with the monks to help her cross the bridge.
The two monks looked at each other in bewilderment because they had taken the pledge not to touch a woman. But the senior monk strode towards the woman, picked her in his arms and crossed the bridge. He gently set the woman on the ground on the other side of the river.
The woman thanked the monk, but the disciple was agitated and didn’t speak to him. After a week, the disciple told the old monk that he no longer respect him as he didn’t honour his vow.
The senior monk smiled at the disciple and calmly replied, ”I touched the woman once and carried her to the other side of the river. But you have been moping on it and have carried the women in your mind for a week.
Now tell me, who is at fault? The moral of the story – Do not cling to your past and learn from it but don’t carry the burden of memories. They will not make you move forward but will pull you into the darkness of stress and anxiety.
“Life is riding a bicycle. To keep balance, you must keep moving.” -Albert Einstein
I have counselled many personnel about, how to maintain a work-life balance and free themselves from the shackles of the past. There are a few points regarding Stress management that I insist on-
- Get up early in the morning. Say your prayers and plan your day.
- Try to maintain a balance between daily work routine and find time to relax
- Be active and exercise regularly
- Walking, cycling, swimming, reading, and meditation are a few stressbusters
- Shun the negative feelings and take control of the situation. Have faith in yourself.
- Socialising is an effective tool in relieving stress. Connect with like-minded and positive people
- Setting up goals and trying to meet the challenges, whether at home or work gives purpose to your life
- Avoid unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking alcohol, etc.
- Volunteering for community work or helping out a friend or relative might work wonders with your self-confidence and help you cope with a stressful situation
- Develop a hobby and pursue it, giving yourself a much-needed me-time
- Recognise and counter the signs of stress and seek help from your friends, family or a trusted life coach
- Talk to a therapist or a health professional if stress is affecting your well-being
- Stay positive and smile a lot because “Smile improves your face value”
Time Management
Time is the most valuable coin of our lives. You spend it wisely and reap the benefits. Once you lose it, you never regain it.
“Time is Free, but it’s Priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it.” -Harvey Mackay
It’s the need of the hour to manage your work timely and proficiently. I have counselled numerous men and women on how to manage their time. In my blog on “How you can accomplish your dreams with effective time management coaching”, I have tried to explain the importance of utilising time productively and efficiently by prioritising your work schedule.
In my youtube video about “How to manage time better”, catching three rabbits in a go, you need to plan your move. One rabbit is family (my children being the priority), another is work, and the third is my social responsibilities. I tried to give 100% attention and efforts to whatever I did without getting distracted.
The same 24 hours, which were earlier not enough to complete the daily tasks, became a child’s play. I have learned to use every minute of the day to its fullest without getting distracted and mastering the art of compartmentalisation.
Getting the work done on time is half the job done, making you feel free from stress and anxiety. The timely completion of the deadlines at work or completing your household chores boosts your self-confidence.
Self-discipline and self-reliance effectively influence various aspects of life, leaving no room for procrastination. I always emphasise in my coaching the following points to effectively manage your time and hence the work schedule:
- Do a Time Audit, i.e. List the to-do things in the order of priority and not preference
- Set goals and time limits for the same
- Prioritise tasks based on urgency and importance
- Avoid multitasking. You are a human being, not a machine
- Block distractions
- Take ‘time-out’ sessions between hectic work schedule
- Organise yourself depending upon the best time to dedicate to completing specific tasks
- Work smarter, not harder
- Plan ahead so that you may hit the road the next morning
Mental health Counselling
Depression is an emotional state of mind in which a person feels sad and losses interest in activities. The symptoms of this disorder may vary from mild to severe, leading to a decrease in the ability to work efficiently at home or office.
One in every six people experiences depression at some time in their life. A staggering figure, isn’t it? Death of a loved one, loss of a good job, ending of a relationship, unable to maintain social status, and the list goes on experiences that are difficult to endure by both men and women.
Although women are more prone to depression due to hormonal changes at various stages of their life and making a mark in this male-dominated world is quite challenging. Medications like antidepressants might be helpful to control it but have side effects like drowsiness or fatigue and hamper daily activities.
By adopting a holistic approach to mental health, accompanied by other therapeutic approaches like counselling, lifestyle changes and support system networks, one can improve their overall well-being.
My youtube video “Tips to improve from mental Sickness”, targets mainly teenage kids handling depression just because there was no support from parents. The stigma regarding mental health is devastating. People feel shy to talk about it with even their closest friends or family.
At this stage, a person needs mental health counselling through an experienced life coach. Counselling is a way to identify the cause of issues that affects the mental health of a person and address problems like-
- Anger or mood swings
- Drug addiction or addiction to social media
- Illusions
- Behavioural changes
- Victims of domestic violence
- Fear, etc.
Self-awareness and a positive attitude help in improving mental health. Mental counselling is required in every walk of life from sports, schools and colleges to business houses and even extent to small children and housewives not leaving the elderly behind. Here are some tips to help-
Ø Take a walk through nature and exercise regularly
Ø Don’t bottle up your feelings. Express them
Ø Talk things through a person you trust or seek a life coach
Ø Shun the habit of smoking, drinking alcohol or taking drugs
Ø Manage your finances and clear your debts timely
Ø “Sleep tight, wake up bright, to do what’s right with all your might”
LET’S HEAR YOU SAY!
We are all freedom fighters trying to conquer our fears every day. So let’s pledge to free ourselves from the shackles of stress, anxiety and depression and lead a life full of contentment and happiness rather than the one that harbours the gloominess of mental health issues.
For any queries regarding life’s difficult situations, please feel free to contact us.
