Jeet's Journey

I am about to get really real about mental health y'all.   Because I am currently feeling a "low", it is giving me the inspiration to talk about my frustrations with my own mental health.  This blog might feel like a bit of a vent session, but it is also a reality of mine and many others' lives. Some days I wake up feeling fresh, energized and with clarity.  Other days, like today, I wake up feeling lethargic and with a very flat and low mood.  There are days when something is going on in my life and I have an explanation as to why I am feeling low; however, there are also days when I have no explanation at all.  This is mental health... sometimes it has rhyme and reason and other times it does not.   Today I woke up feeling tired, flat and kind of sad... but not really sad? It's hard to explain.  Anyways, these feelings made me want to stay in the comfort of my own bed for the rest of the day.  This is what happens when I'm feelin...

I feel as though relationships are glamorized and romanticized more than they should be.  Yes, being in a relationship is very rewarding and amazing, but - just like anything else good in our lives, it's a lot of work and comes with its challenges.   Not to sound like a pessimist or anything, but I wish someone had told me what the challenges were of being in a relationship so that I could have been more prepared - lol! But then again, can anyone really, truly be prepared? Anyhow, the beginning of the relationship was very carefree, but once we started aligning our lives together that is when I realized that learning to live and build a life with another person was going to take a lot of work and a lot of compromise. The way that I grew up was different than the way my partner grew up; therefore, it is not a surprise that he has different values, goals and ideas for the future.  With that said, learning to support him in his endeavors  and vice versa ...

So, I'm pretty sure I have body dysmorphia guys.  I mean, I haven't actually been diagnosed with it... but I am sure I am on some type of sliding scale of it.  I googled the definition and this what it says:  "Body dysmorphic disorder  is a mental disorder in which you can't stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance — a flaw that, to others, is either minor or not observable. But you may feel so ashamed and anxious that you may avoid many social situations." There are parts of my body that I feel ashamed about or that I am overly critical of.  My stomach/abs are my main insecurity and then my arms.  Whenever I take photos of myself or am having my photo taken, I try my best to make these parts of my body look as slim as possible.  If either of these body parts stick out or feel "big" to me, I automatically dislike the photo and will click DELETE , right away.  I know I post a lot of selfies and vi...

I have to admit, I have a problem with binge eating. Not all the time, but I do binge eat and it is something I have a difficult time controlling.  Keeping a balanced diet is something I struggle with. I have always tried my hardest to eat as healthy as I can, and that too in moderation, but something always seems to go array and I end up going through a period of eating crappy food in excess. I have learned that my mental health and my relationship with food go hand in hand.  If I am stressed, anxious or feeling depressed I tend to reach for fast food, chocolate and/or ice cream to temporarily make me feel good.  It ends up becoming a vicious cycle because I end up feeling worse/guilty for eating the "bad" food and I continue to eat to get rid of that feeling in order to give me that temporary satisfaction again and again.   I have to also admit that I cannot blame it ALL on my mental health either.  I honestly love food, and that too the fast foods...

Just because you cannot physically see a persons ailment, does not mean that they are suffering any less.  Mental health is complicated and can manifest in many different shapes and forms, but it can be just as disabling, and in some cases, even more disabling than physical disabilities.  I feel it is difficult for others to understand mental health issues because the suffering of it cannot be seen by the naked eye.  With that said, it's days like today, "World Mental Health Day," that are so important to bring awareness to mental health issues. As I openly discussed in my first blog, I experience anxiety, depression and even some slight obsessive compulsive behaviours.  It has taken my 30 years to finally decide to address the up and down battle of my mental health.  When I would be at my best and my happiest, I would neglect the fact that I had gone through a period of anxiety and depression and I would tell myself that I was okay and didn't need any he...

What does it mean to be selfless, and is it okay to be selfish? I have pondered this thought about being selfish vs. being selfless a lot recently as I work on becoming an overall "better" person.  The definition of becoming a "better" person will vary for everyone.  Personally, it requires me to become mindful of when my selfishness is getting in the way of helping a genuine person in need.  This is not to say it is an easy task.  It can be very difficult to do something when you have this feeling within you that does not want to; but I realized that in order to for me to grow as individual and feel more fulfilled in life then I will need to overcome these thought barriers.   As of recent, I have become significantly mindful of my own thought patterns.  Due to this awareness, I am able to recognize when my own selfish thoughts are creating unnecessary negative energy.  Have you ever had someone ask you to help them with something and, fo...

To anyone who doesn't already know me, my name is Harjeet - hence, Jeet's Journey ;-) .   I decided to start to this blog because I want to be able to share my experiences in life and the things I've learned and continue to learn.  I know I am not alone in the struggle of what we call life, so I hope there are individuals out there who can relate and whom I might be able to help through the sharing of my thoughts.   There is so much to be thankful and grateful for in life; however, sometimes these positive aspects in life can get clouded through the hardships we may face throughout our life.  The best way to describe my life is a literal roller coaster ride, ha-ha.  I've had many lows but I've also experienced many highs.  I struggle with anxiety and depression, which is difficult to deal with at times, but I've decided to overcome this and learn how to deal with it better.  Not only do I struggle with anxiety and depression, but I'm o...