In a world where an individual has to face numerous emotional and mental challenges during their growth, it is essential to emphasize that suicide is not an option. By fostering a culture of empathy, care and understanding rather than spreading hate and negativity, we can create an atmosphere where people can find reliance, hope and have someone to trust amidst their dark moments.
Let’s be honest, we all have had points in our lives where we felt, “I cannot take it anymore” or “I feel like I should die” and I know it because I have experienced it not just once but so many times that I have lost count.
It’s about the time when I changed the city to go for my undergraduate program and I knew nobody. Things were tough, I was away from my parents for the first time, being a typical introvert, I never had the skill to make friends easily, and my conversational skills were not very good.
Things kept piling up, I was watching everyone around me embracing growth in one way or the other, FOMO kicked in, and I got anxious and made a lot of mistakes; anxiety was like a monster crawling in and setting its roots deep into my brain and I started panicking on every little thing. My grades went down, the peer pressure was rising, and like most colleges, I had people trying to bring me down; I developed some bad habits that I am still ashamed of, felt unworthy and before I knew it, I hit rock bottom. I never talked to my parents for days, did not even feel the energy to wake up and just kept praying for it to end.
One day I visited a temple and there I met a guy, who was probably ten years older than me. He asked me if I was feeling down. I told him briefly about how I was feeling and we exchanged contacts. He taught me about meditation in a not-so-fancy manner. He taught me that meditation is simply living in the present, to just observe things and people as they are, without judgements, and without wishing for things to change. It seemed illogical at first because I thought it is human nature to process things and give unsolicited opinions about them and think of a million ways those things could have been better.
But when I actually tried to just observe things (although it was difficult initially as I programmed myself for so many years to have at least some judgment), I started to feel a lot of weight being lifted off my shoulders.
I continued to practice this JUST OBSERVE principle and a few weeks later when the thoughts slowly diminished and did not bother me as much, I combined simply observing with the breathing meditation practice which cleared the remaining clutter of the entire day and I can firmly say that practice really simplified my life. I stopped multitasking, I could prioritize my mental and emotional health over my work, I stopped self-sabotage and I realized that one cannot just get rid of all the negative habits and emotional turmoil. It doesn’t work like “remove everything negative and then put everything positive” instead it works like “keep on adding the positive and one day you will be totally free of the negative” and that really changed me.
Building resilience can also make a huge difference in your growth during dark days in navigating emotional turmoil. Embrace setbacks, have a strong mindset, and be diligent and disciplined. A strong mindset perceives a setback as an opportunity to grow better. Developing resilience equips you with courage and determination to face the difficulties that life throws at you.
I would strongly recommend the JUST OBSERVE principle to everyone striving for mental and spiritual growth and I encourage you to keep trying to just observe without prejudice and without any judgments and you will surely get benefitted.
To summarize:
- People have been through a lot or are going through a lot; Do not think that you are alone and Do not develop the victim mindset, Do not find comfort in pain. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
- Speak up with trustworthy friends, not just to drop the weight temporarily but to actually get a solution.
- Practice the JUST OBSERVE principle and then combine it with any sort of meditation that you find suitable for yourself (experiment with different techniques; there is no right or wrong technique, it is just about suitability).
- Be resilient, focus on your growth.
- Do not give up on hope. Believe that everything will get better.
About Ritik Gurnani
The emotions portrayed above are taken from the diaries of Ritik Gurnani, an individual like any other, set on a journey to explore and uncover the mysteries of this life. Driven by a genuine desire of serving people and making connections, he found his calling as an Optometrist at Gurnani Chashma Ghar, located in Rajapur, Prayagraj. To contact him, or to ask any eye related queries, contact him at +91 8308288736.
Beyond the realm of enhancing vision, Ritik strives for a positive approach towards every kind of life experience. He has been striving for a life brimming with peace, and like everyone, he has his share of highs and lows but he has grown to be a little more rational than he used to be. Hardships have played a major role in shaping him up but he did not let those tough situations have the upper hand and continued to be humble and kind.
With each and every thought provoking experience, he takes some time out of his day to contemplate upon those experiences, what could he have done differently to have a better outcome. About the spiritual journey, it has been on & off for Ritik as he used to be too disappointed with bad experiences and tough situations while taking steps toward his spiritual growth. Currently, he is trying to make a settlement with life about being calm and present regardless of good or bad experiences.
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