Mental Health Awareness Week: Be in Your Friend’s & Family’s Corners!

As this week is Mental Health Awareness Week, I urge all of you to come together to support everyone and be in your friend’s corner.

Whether you, a family member or relative, or even a friend, suffer from a mental health condition, diagnosed or undiagnosed, I urge all of you to be in your friend’s and family’s corners by asking them how they are, how they’re really feeling, and if they suffer from a mental health condition or they have a mental health condition that has been left undiagnosed, help them and encourage them to open up, as they will know you support them, that you’re there for them, and that you’ll always provide them with the best support regardless of the mental health condition they may have, especially if they are or have gone through losing someone close to them.

Make sure to spread the word and raise awareness for Mental Health and know that you are not in this alone.

We will all experience moments where we feel down, lost and even broken, but it’s okay to feel that way.

Never be ashamed to open up, but always be in your friend’s corner and your family’s corners. Support one another and be there for one another, but most of all, open up.

Don’t man up for anyone, open up. Cry if you want to, let all that frustration out if you want to, but more importantly, be open with your real emotions and know that you’ll always be the stronger person even if you break down because you’ve been strong for too long.

You’ll always be strong, but one more thing.

Never prove yourself to anyone and always be yourself and always show real emotion, as you’ll feel so much better knowing you’ll never be in this alone and that mental health is to be acknowledged and that you deserve to seek the best help, support and treatment where possible.

I hope I’ve inspired you, and please tell me if you were inspired by my words, as I want you to know I will always care and always will take you as I see you and respect you for who you are, what you do and how you really feel.

Alex Smithson

Real Emotions: A True Sign of Strength.

Societies nowadays, especially now, expect you to suppress your real emotions to build an image of emotions that they expect of you.

In this case, you put on a face where you look happy to everyone else, and that you are made to look like you can make it alone, but deep down, you feel broken, torn up inside, and you feel the true pain where you have been forced to suppress your real emotions because societies want you to look strong, when in reality, you are strong, but they feel the need to nitpick and make you feel like you’re weak for showing the real emotions you were born with.

From experience of losing a family relative and two close friends of mine, I refuse to not show my real emotions as I would rather everyone know I am okay, but I’m not okay and that I’m showing real emotion rather than suppress the real emotions and bottle the emotions up.

If you want to cry, then cry. If you want to show real emotion, then show real emotion and if someone tells you to suppress your real emotions, don’t suppress your real emotions at all.

Showing your real emotions is a true sign of strength, and not a single soul can tell you otherwise.

This has taken me a lot of courage to write, and although I’m still grieving, I’m gradually getting stronger as the day goes by.

One more thing. Never suppress your real emotions, but always show your real emotions, as it’s a true sign of strength.

Alex Smithson

I Know You’re Somewhere Out There, Somewhere Far Away.

It’s been an emotional rollercoaster this week, getting through each day has been quite hard, and I was away for a whole week as I’ve been making sure to pay my respects as I lost a close friend of mine of two years last week.

I won’t make this too long-winded, but I want to take this opportunity to pay my full respects to my close friend who was an absolute inspiration to me and everyone else, and that she’ll be remembered for spreading positivity and happiness with everyone she came across.

I thought it would be wise to use this photo of the moon I produced as Bruno Mars‘ ballad, Talking to the Moon, moved me to tears but in a way where it helped me to understand and come to terms with her sudden passing at such a sudden, yet saddening time.

I Know You’re Somewhere Out There, Somewhere Far Away,

This week has been really emotional for me and everyone else, but with each day, I’ll get stronger. We’ll get stronger. I want to be strong for my friend and continue to get stronger and value the time me and all of you have.

I want to make the most of every opportunity to go out and make the most of the time, as going out and making the most of the time and valuing every single second is what my friend would want for me to do.

I know you’re somewhere out there, somewhere far away, but I’ll always be thinking of you in my heart, and the inspiration you gave me and everyone else.

You are and always will be greatly missed, but I shall remember you for the positivity and happiness and that you’ll always be my close friend.

Rest in peace, my dear friend.

Alex Smithson x

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay.

In life, we all go through difficult stages over the course of time that break us all down eventually.

Never keep your emotions inside and open up to everyone, tell them how you feel, and you’ll soon begin to notice you’re a lot stronger than before.

We’ve all been through it, I should know because I’ve been there myself, been through it all and opened up and I’m so much more confident and so much better than I felt before and I want for you to know that if you’ve ever been there and can relate to how I feel, especially to how you feel, just know that you are never alone.

Never be afraid to open up about how you feel; the release of emotions you once felt will slowly but surely disappear and you’ll be stronger than before.

Never give up, never hide your emotions; open up and never be ashamed to admit you’re not okay even when you’re okay. It’s okay to not be okay and there is no shame in how you feel. So what if some people don’t see it that way, it’s their loss and your gain.

I hope these words brighten up your life and give you hope and know that it’s okay to not be okay. Don’t be afraid to open up and show everyone how you feel. Life is never easy, it is hard, but with the courage to open up to everyone, you’ll regain that lost strength and your willpower will be much stronger than before.

Alex Smithson

Strength, Courage & Willpower: Just How Powerful Are They?

Strength, courage and willpower. We have all three of them, but just how powerful are they to us?

Strength is powerful to us because it makes up how we feel about certain things, for instance, if we needed to build up our strength, we would need to do so through being determined, as well as being able to cope with the idea of doing something that will help us to become stronger.

Courage is powerful to us because it is about being able to have the courage to commit to certain things, even at times when we don’t want to, given possible personal reasons inclined, but it’s being encouraged and being able to have the courage to speak up about things that really matter the most.

Willpower is powerful to us, because it’s about how we can deal with things. In this case, when we sacrifice something of our own, it’s because it’s not by choice, but it’s because it’s by showing ourselves and everyone around us that we will be able to have the willpower to cope without the need of certain things that we were once attached to.

Put all three together, and you find that all three combined make up the people that we become.

How does combining all three make up the people we become do you ask? Well all three can make up the people we become through being able to have the strength, courage and willpower to do so.

We sometimes don’t realise our own strengths, as well as our courage, but we sometimes don’t realise that our own form of willpower makes up who we really are. It’s having the audacity to be strong, to be courage and to have the strongest form of willpower possible that makes us the people that we become.

If you liked this article, please feel free to submit feedback. All feedback is much appreciated.

Alex Smithson

How to Get the Best Breakthrough in Life.

To celebrate the milestone of this article becoming the 300th article I’ve published ever since Mother Nature made its début on the 6th June 2013, I will give you all a full run-down on how you can get the best breakthrough in life.

In life, we are all expected to overcome those all-important hurdles that life can just throw at us when we least expect it. However easy or difficult life can be, come the best breakthroughs we want. For instance, we all want the best life possible, and to get the best breakthrough in life, we need to really push ourselves and work hard now.

To get the best breakthrough in life, you need to make sure to work hard now, and to also be yourself. After all, being yourself and being the best at what you can be can expand your horizons to all-new heights that you didn’t think were once possible, and working hard and showing your strength, determination and courage can really help you to excel a lot further than you think.

One major key factor that can give you the best breakthrough to life is one word, and one word alone. Respect. Respect is the most important key factor that can, if you use it all the time, give you the best breakthrough to life.

The truth about getting the best breakthrough to life is that it can be a difficult path to start on, as there will come certain points down the line where you will end up slipping up, especially when you don’t realise it, even by accident, because you might end up forgetting something that was important, but that’s not your fault if you accidentally forgot. To a certain degree, you might think it was your fault, but really it isn’t, and it’s okay to know you made mistakes.

To fix mistakes is to make them first, at least then you will be able to find a route cause to how the mistake was made, and how you can solve that mistake.

Here is my 3-step how-to guide on how you can get the best breakthrough in life.

1. How to Make Your Life Become Special

To have a special life, you will want to create a lot of happy memories down the line, and in this case, taking photos can be the best possible chance of creating the happy memories you want to have, but most of all, want everyone else around you to have.

Also, as well as taking photos, the best thing you could possibly have is being able to share those connections you have made to your friends and family, especially your extended family, because each happy memory and every strong connection you have can bring you, your friends, your family and your extended family closer.

2. How to Become the Best Version of Yourself to Others

To become the best version of yourself that others can look up to, it’s always best to study and work hard, no matter how stretched time can be on some or most occasions, but most of all, do some research on certain people who became famous, for example, whether it would be someone who was famous for building their own airline or company, or whether it would be someone who became famous because of music or even films. Doing research and looking up to people like that who are role models can often make you think: “I want to be at the best point in my life, and I want to make a positive difference in this world“.

Also, offering to help out now and then, even at times when no-one has asked you for help can give you the chance to prove yourself and to prove that you want to reach out and help someone in need, for instance, if you’re someone who offers to help out and show someone what they’ve got to do to get to the best point of their life, then you’re offering them the chance to go down the right direction that will help them, not just to succeed, but to also give them the best possible start in life, especially if it involves helping them to follow their dreams, as well as the kind of career that they want to pursue when they’re older. Offering your help to someone gives you the best chance to become the best version of yourself.

3. How to Put Yourself Out There & Make Something Good for Yourself

To put yourself out there and make something good for yourself, you want to be able to prove just how determined you can be at anything.

If you work hard at something that can get you to that best point in your life, and you really prove that you’re capable of doing something with such strength, determination and courage, then you will find that because you’ve worked hard at something, you’ll find that it will all pay off in the end.

When I was at school, of course the work was difficult at some or most stages, but it was having the encouragement to study hard and to show how determined I was in passing that got me to where I am today, and I have my friends, my family and my extended family to thank because without them, I wouldn’t have got to this point in my life.

But back to the subject, if you work that extra bit hard for yourself, you will find it not only pays off for you in the end, but you will also find that you have done something that has left a positive impact on you.

I’ve picked a quote from my Instagram page that I made whilst using the Pic Collage app, which I feel will help to inspire you if you want to get the best breakthrough in life.

“GRAB ANY OPPORTUNITY WITH BOTH HANDS AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON IT.

TO AIM FOR THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE, YOU HAVE TO NOT ONLY WORK HARD TO PLAY HARD, BUT YOU ALSO NEED TO WORK HARD TO PROVE YOU CAN TAKE EACH OPPORTUNITY AS IT COMES.

PROVE THAT YOU’RE THE BEST YOU CAN BE IN LIFE, BY STARTING NOW.” – ALEX SMITHSON

Most importantly of all, to put yourself out there and make something good for yourself, you need to show respect to everyone around you, and also treat them equally, but more importantly, accept the people around you no matter who they choose to be, and no matter who they love. As long as you are respectful to everyone and as long as you treat everyone with full equality and diversity, then you’ll be able to get the best breakthrough in life. After all, a good life is only a good life if you have a respectful attitude towards others, but a good life is also only a good life if you respect everyone with equality and diversity. Respect, Equality & Diversity are the three most important, yet crucial keys that will give you the best breakthrough in life.

I hope my 3-step how-to guide helps all of you get the best breakthrough in life, and please feel free to feedback what you thought of this guide.

I’ve produced this article as a way of inspiring all of you, as I want to make sure that all of you get the best possible start in life, and that you get the best breakthrough in your life that will allow you to really excel further :-).

Your feedback is much appreciated :-).

Alex Smithson