Hello everyone, it’s John Chiko here again. Today I will be asking: are you happy? I ask in commemoration of “Time to Talk Day”, which passed on the 1st of February 2024. Time to Talk Day is an annual campaign that is run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness in England, in Partnership with Co-op. The campaign runs UK wide, with SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) and See Me in Scotland, Inspire in Northern Ireland, and Time to Change Wales.
The focus of the day revolves around fostering supportive communities through open discussions about mental health with family, friends, or colleagues. Recognising that everyone experiences mental health challenges, engaging in dialogue allows us to provide support for ourselves and those around us. Their goal is to encourage communities nationwide to engage in more conversations about mental health than ever before.
Time to Talk Day was initiated in 2014 by Time to Change, a campaign led by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, aimed at eradicating stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health. With that being said, I will ask again: are you happy? You see the reason why I am asking is that it has been a question that I have been asking myself for quite a while now. I ask myself that question almost every morning.
Personally, when it comes to me, I’m not sure really. To be honest I feel a bit grey, somewhere in between happiness and sadness. I am happy that I am alive, that I am still here to live life, to chase my dreams and aspirations. However, at the same time, the sadness, so to speak, comes from the less than great state of many of my personal relationships, however I believe that t he main drag, the grey, is coming from the pain and sadness that I see all around me.
I don’t believe that many people that are in my environment are happy, and certainly I don’t believe that they are motivated by the future. If anything I believe that they dread it. A lot of people that I see speak and treat each other horribly. There’s just so much arguing, so much fighting, and so much drug abuse that it’s got to be a sign that people are not really themselves, including myself of course. So, here’s me with my conflicting emotions in an environment where people are at each other’s necks.
As I ponder this question amidst the cacophony of discord and strife that surrounds me, I realise that happiness is indeed a complex and multifaceted concept. It’s not merely the absence of sadness but a state of contentment, fulfilment, and inner peace. Yet, in a world where turmoil seems to reign supreme, achieving such a state can feel like an elusive dream.
Reflecting on my own emotions, I find myself oscillating between moments of joy and sorrow, caught in the middle ground of uncertainty. While I cherish the simple blessings of life and hold onto hope for a brighter future, the weight of interpersonal conflicts and societal unrest bears down on me like a heavy burden.
As selfish as this may sound, I do find solace in the knowledge that I’m not alone in this journey. I believe that collectively we can confront the shadows that haunt us, reaching out to one another with compassion and support. Perhaps, that’s the great test of life, to find a way to come together to face our common problems as they affect all of us.
I ask again, are you happy? If not, then what are you doing about it?
