Ethan Koh

Mental health is not difficult (in 6 or 7 steps)

I'm once again attempting to do less than 3,307 push-ups in 24 days to raise awareness and funds for mental health in Australia.

Mental Health and suicide are big issues that are still extremely prevalent today. As mentioned in previous years, I have struggled with my mental health and suicide, though I also have gotten up and out of that hole. There have been 6 major factors affecting my mental health, and I will share it with you my dear reader(Iloveyou<3)(When you are truely happy you should be comfortable using the L word everyday!)

Social media is and will always be an echo chamber and window into your thoughts and feelings, but social media is also extremely moldable from a destructive to a constructive tool for mental health. Social media is such a strong force, 

You may not immediately be able to change your thoughts or feelings, but something you can change is your actions and your mindset, and through these your feelings will inevitably change. 

"Happiness is a choice not a destination"

Happiness.com says that 60% of your happiness is based on your environment and genetics, things you inherently cannot control, but around 40% is influenced by our intentional actions and daily choices.

It is hard to simply choose to be happy, especially when you can't see the light on the other side of the tunnel, so something i like to do, is simply ignore it!! Through the following mechanisms: (i know its a bad temporary solution but sometimes all you need is another day !! )(If you believe that there is nobody for you, your opinion is dumb. I love you <3)

Music !! Im lowk a bit addicted, but its ok bc it makes me happy! I have a playlist called 'Feel it good', and 'Depressingly', with appropriate songs to match. Guess which one i dont listen to? That's right! Depressingly, because it makes me sad(NF, Ren). Make a playlist of music that you can decide to be happy to, going back to the mindset point, it is a simple trigger which helps you choose to be happy!!!! (Tai Verdes is an artist I like)

I am religious, and i use my relationship with god to promote hopefulness, happiness and gratefulness for the things that you can't control, the 60%. I, try at least to pray every day for the good things that happened to me, and use god to keep myself accountable for my sins, and pray for the future, for myself and for those around me !! Also helps with your mindset if you are actively trying to seek things to be grateful for. I know that this is not the full meaning of scripture, but this is relavent. 

Sports and being outside, with other people, is a big factor. I now play sports 5 days a week(flex, ok) but I really enjoy it! I enjoy being with others, and so do you(asumptive ok sorry), but its human nature. To create connections and bonds with others, they can make you happier if you find the right people! Other than that I try and do as many co-curriculars, to get to know new people, do more, have more excuses to be happy. Idk if this is going backwards but if you feel insignificant, you are. BUT, use this force not to hide, but to go and do more, know more, feel more.

I say I love you multiple times, to a complete stranger reading this, to my friends(but definitely not to women). Love, even platonically, is the strongest force of happiness, that and uncontrollable laughter, but both of these require social interaction. 

"Don't trust your emotions after 9pm"

You are tired, probably isolated in your room, and a bunch of other psychosocial stuff that irdk, but if you feel sad at night, it isnt true, it isnt forever. And sleep is really good for mindset stuff asw, so please get a stable circadian rhythm (unlike me :(), and sleep will never hurt you.

And finally, I think that as a society we have shunned being openly happy. I, no WE should not feel marginalised for wanting to smile in public, but I do sometimes, where everyone has a blank expression, including myself, it's hard to break out and be happy, in fear of looking weird. Especially with the age of mobile devices, the populace is addicted to the most social anti-social piece of technology we have ever invented. Looking up at the beauty of our world is lost, replaced by looking down at clips of the very same things.

Also, the rise of nonchalance as the death of passion and joy. That's just a fact, oppose nonchalance, be chalant, just like me!!! short and chalant !!!

Trust me, I'm weird, at least that's what my friends say when I 'try' and spread happiness, but maybe that's because I don't do it well. Probably because my version of happiness delves into actions my friends would also label as 'autistic', but I don't see anything wrong with that! Because I am laughing and they are all buummmmss. But being weird cannot and should not force you to change, especially if your non-weird persona is more distant and less happy. Embrace it, please, I beg of thee(maybe not too much to start). 

Be authentically, unapologetically yourself, find your people, create your mindset, it is never the end, and don't forget that I love you <3. 

And as in my Instagram bio, To feel deeply is to live truly. 

You can show your support by making a tax-deductible donation to my page, but preferably it'd be a big donation <3.

Every dollar helps #pushforbetter mental health outcomes in Australia by funding much-needed mental health services and initiatives.

"mental health is bad" -Lawerence Xu, catboy