Good Mental Health Looks like P-E-A-C-E

As a mental health professional I have had many years to interact with and reflect upon why there are some individuals who seem to able to maintain a consistently positive mental health status regardless of the challenges life threw at them. The study of authentic happiness is beginning to discover what makes people happy and the field of positive psychology is researching the same issue. When I put all of my collective thoughts and ponderings together, I find I continually deduce that persons with good mental health keep peace in their lives. The alphabet soup approach to this article is my way of thinking about what having peace in ones' life looks like.

Persons with good mental health are Patient, they Persevere no matter what the situation throws at them. They look for the Positives in life and hand out Praise to everyone for a million little reasons. These attributes may come with difficulty at times, but their outlook is always peace-filled.

Empathy is another attribute commonly seen in individuals with good mental health. They are able to let go of their own ego and feel another person's pain. There is a sense of perennial Enthusiasm in persons with good mental health. Life is Exciting and to be Enjoyed.

An individual who lives in a state of good mental health is Altruistic in their selfless and humane interactions with others. They are quick to Accept others and make them feel valued. They are Agreeable and listen to others while being able to offer their own opinions and thoughts without the need to convince.

Confidence in oneself is a cornerstone of good mental health. Persons with good mental health have Convictions tempered by acceptance of differences. There is a sense of inner and outer Calmness that changes in times of challenge, but does not overwhelm them nor force them into angst. Decisions are made thoughtfully yet with Certainty that whatever the outcome, everything will be OK.

Because there is another letter "E" in the word peace, other "E" attributes of good mental health are being Energetic and Eager to get things done and to begin new projects and relationships. Persons with good mental health are Expressive and able to share thoughts, feelings and fears without embarrassment or fear.

This article might be thought of as a bit maudlin, corny or mawkish. This was not the intention. The point was to provide readers with a way to think about good mental health from a functional perspective and not a symptomatic medical approach. If you read about yourself in this article...god, If you did not, then think about the attributes that describe good mental health and start to practice at least one of them a day. After a while they just might become habit forming.

Related Articles

Parenting Counseling with Empathy
Being Happy is Finding Happiness Yourself
Divorce Depression Low Self-Esteem Counseling