Spreading Joy To Others

Take a look at the picture and what do you see?

Children sat together, sharing...

It is the innocence of childhood that we all sadly lose touch with as we all develop and grow. Of course, we all know why this inevitably occurs, don't we? Several reasons come to mind straight away.

1️⃣ Perception. As we grow and develop, we are introduced to a brand-new world around us. A world that begins to challenge our early developing cognitive skills. We start our journey through life making our own ideas on what we see, hear, and smell. We begin to understand that what happens to those around us has a correlation to how we react and respond to everything.

2️⃣ Media. This by far has both good and bad effects along our journey of discovery. Our world around us is vast. Media provides a vessel in which we can learn about what goes on in this world. However, the way this information is disseminated by us depends greatly on the skills of the broadcaster in the first place. Alarmingly though, media is open to interpretation and far too often this material is biased based on individual beliefs, and not crystal clear or unprejudiced in any way, shape, or form. So, do we indeed get fed the real truth? Our own knowledge then becomes susceptible to 'fuzzy falsities.'

After three decades of working as a mental health professional, I have seen the traumatization and the dangers that (media and their 'fuzzy falsities') really do to real people, particularly the more vulnerable amongst us... Take for example the use of models that get splashed across papers and the internet these days, and billboards that everyone sees across the town you live in. Media incorrectly peddle images of what the perfect female body should look like. They discriminate against anyone who doesn't fit the image they display. Causing needless admissions to psychiatric wards to be treated for eating disorders, depression, and self-harm, the list of media-induced mental ill-health goes on...

We soon learn, as a result, not to healthily adapt to it but, to maladapt instead.

3️⃣ Lessons learned. As time passes by, we do things we have never done or tried before. We begin to rapidly learn what we like and what we don't like through our own learning processing skills.

4️⃣ Traumatic events. Regrettably, throughout our lives, these moments do happen. They are never good, but we know they can be unavoidable at times, from sick-minded individuals mentally & physically abusing others to the loss of loved ones resulting from natural causes or road traffic collisions. None of these moments are ever nice or expected but, we learn (for better or for worse) from each of them.

5️⃣ Knowledge gained. Education plays a large role in this one but, once again, how we learn varies on how information is relayed to us. I can relate to this one and I'm pretty sure that you can too.

Who's ever had a teacher drone on in a robotic voice about sex education, or in a monotone voice when it comes to listening to information on your favorite subject?

Yes, exactly...

6️⃣ Illness. We all get ill at some point in our lives too 😢. Unfortunately, this is an inevitable part of everyone's existence. Some may simply get ill once or twice in childhood; some may become ill once they get older. Whatever happens, illness is a highly testing time for us and will affect how we think and respond - all too easily it can alter our perception of the world forever.

This list comes straight off the top of my head and is certainly not an exhaustive list by far. Perhaps you also hold other reasons as to why losing that childhood innocence, as we grow and flourish in this world, our home, does literally affect us?

Drop me a line and let me know...

The article I've embedded below is something that I wrote on another writing platform (medium.) There, I talk in-depth about how engaging with a community is so very important

You might be left wondering at this moment, what's the point in all this? So, let me explain.

The six moments that I have talked about here are simply moments typical of everyone's way in which they adapt to life around them. But what is worse is that these moments sadly create an adverse event.

What can we do to bring back the cheer?

Social isolation can indeed rear its ugly head all too easily on us before we even become aware of what's even hit us. I imagine we all know to our cost what Covid-19 and its many restrictions hit us with.

Instead of falling into the trap of social isolation that can be an altogether common problem for many of us in today's world, the global availability that technology affords us when it comes down to the internet is writing platforms, such as vocal and medium.

This is where a smile can so easily come into play, and remember it costs nothing to smile and a few cheery words of encouragement to light up someone's day...

Vocal seemed to follow suit when it came down to improving their platform in much the same way that medium has successfully been doing for some time now. The availability to leave comments on articles written by others, after reading.

Perhaps for some, they may not view this in the same way as I do but, after spending so many years as a mental health professional, I can honestly say here that, something as simple as reading another person's work and then being able to leave a comment for that writer, can truly provide an uplifting experience not to be sniffed at. This opens up a line of communication that we all need so desperately in times like these.

It provides for us all that participate, a reminder to ourselves that we are not alone in whatever we are doing or in however we are feeling. Join in and take part, see where it takes you because, at the close of day, you will discover that this is what a community really does mean 😊.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Thank you for taking the time to read this😊. I hope you have enjoyed this piece of fiction. Please read and click the heart after reading ❤️ to show your support.

If you fancy tipping me or pledging your support in these ways too then I'll have to hug you🤣😊.

Tips are amazing to get😍👍...

More of my articles can be found by clicking on my profile page. If you are feeling adventurous and creative, then why not join us at the Vocal+ platform by clicking on this here?

Or why not come and chat with me over on Medium too, where I also write too?