The Mental & Emotional Health KPI: Navigating the Invisible

The Complexity of Mental and Emotional Health

I was born out of wedlock to a teen mom in the south side of Chicago. The way and generation in which I was raised, Mental and Emotional Health were not even a part of my vocabulary, let alone talked about. Around the pandemic, though, it feels like the subjects became overnight focal points within our society and I think for good reason, for the most part.

In our journey toward success, we often focus on the tangible, more superficial things. While these are deservingly desirable, there lies a more important, nuanced, and often overlooked aspect—Mental and Emotional Health. This domain is invisible, deeply personal, and profoundly influential, making it perhaps the most complex KPI to navigate. Without tending to our Mental & Emotional Health KPI, all other aspects of our well-being risk falling apart.

I understand and am sensitive to the reality that there are real mental disorders that can have a strong affect on people. In such situations I believe that anyone who can, should seek medical expertise. Getting examined by experts is a form of physical care that you need in order to sustain a strong Physical Health KPI, but it is equally as important to your Mental & Emotional Health KPI as well. I hope as I type this today that we are all existing in a world where this reality is valued and that everyone feels comfortable to talk to someone whenever they don't feel they are feeling their best mentally or emotionally.

Foundational Controls for Mental & Emotional Health

Our mental and emotional states are fluid; meaning they are subject to change over time. Through my own journey of ups and downs throughout life I discovered several foundational strategies to drive my Mental & Emotional Health KPI with effective consistency. This is not to be confused with perfection. Tough times still came and still do, but these foundational pillars served to put me in better control of my Mental & Emotional Health KPI. I believe they can do the same for anyone who is seeking guidance:

1. Have a source of empowerment

2. Have a fighting spirit

3. Mind your thoughts

4. Have an attitude of gratitude

Norming and Forming To Find A Source

My upbringing was fraught with a roller coaster of highs and lows.  I experienced trauma, love, safety, fear all as often as I experienced each of the yearly seasons. Some of the things that I and my family members have endured and witnessed other human beings do would cause any sane person to lose themselves. I often look back over my life and find gratitude that I wasn’t introduced to the concepts of emotional and mental health growing up because in those times of crises all we knew to do was move forward the best way we knew how, nevermind if it was healthy or not.

I sometimes think that if I knew who to turn to and how to articulate the pain to another human then I would not have been able to lean so fully on God and test His ability to provide me what I needed. During tumultuous times, I turned to sports and writing to fight; knowledge and music to runaway; and the Bible for solace. These outlets became pivotal in shaping my understanding of myself. More specifically, these became my sources to keep me in control of Mental & Emotional Health KPI.

Confronting Goliath

One time in middle school, I faced your stereotypical bullying that culminated in a physical altercation. I know everyone won't appreciate this the way I do, but I was raised to hit back if you get hit. The thing is; other than by a family member, I had never been hit by anyone else before this altercation. When I told my mom what caused the bruises on my face she made me go back and fight my bully. In those moments of getting my lick back I found a power that would go on to aid me but it wasn't necessarily the power of hitting, it was the power of knowing that I could.

You see, even though this was my first time being bullied, it wasn't my first time having altercations in life. The difference this time, though, was that I found out I could do something about it. This realization led me to find healthy outlets to deal with how negative circumstances affected me. Discovering the sport of football provided me a literal field to release anger and tensions and doubts, among other negative feelings. Writing gave me a canvas to release thoughts until only the positive flowed out. Overtime, Goliaths never stopped showing up but my stone and my aim to fend them off got sharper and sharper as I confronted them. My experiences in life forced me to confront my fears and problems but also allowed me to learn and grow my mental and emotional fortitude to at least manage, even if not always controlling, the effects to my Mental & Emotional Health. Confronting my problems and issues ended up becoming defining moments that helped me realize the power I had to fight and persevere.

Mind Over Matter

As I navigated the complexities of life, I also learned that my mindset greatly influenced my mind's health and emotional resilience. By focusing on empowering thoughts and surrounding myself with empowering people and experiences, I was able to cultivate a mind mightier than the matter I faced. In having the conversation with many others about tough experiences in life, I noticed this mental fortitude in just about everyone who had a strong Mental & Emotional Health KPI. What's better is that I believe you can, too.

For those who find themselves unsure or are just searching for helpful insights, I cannot stress enough how important it is to prioritize developing your mental state. One way to do that is through positive and empowering thinking. For me I found a heavy reliance on music and discovery for this. Now as a fan of rap, I cannot lie and say all of the music I enjoy is positive, but I can say that I always find something empowering.

Even the lyrics filled with hyperbolic bravado and parables of rising like the Phoenix provide my mind empowerment to keep going. The right music has enabled me to transport into different mental dimensions just when I felt like my logical mind was aflame. The meditation I get from listening to music has truly played a transformational role in not just what I feel, but how I feel it, at any given time. I'm not that music has to do it for you, but I challenge you to explore what does.

Hand in hand with the journey of escape that music has the power to take me on is the journey I take acquiring knowledge. Knowledge truly is power for so many reasons: it makes you aware, it makes you strong, it gives you solutions and perspectives, it instructs, and the list goes on. Whether it be from a book, a podcast, a lecture, or a movie I'm a geek about learning because knowledge has saved my life.

Unlike music, knowledge isn't something that is optional or variable. Acquiring knowledge is a part of the growth process and aids in our progression through life. If you can work to get exposure to the world and it's workings, I am confident that, in your search, you will obtain knowledge. As a consequence of routinely acquiring knowledge you strengthen your ability to manage your mind and emotions.

Gratitude: The Power of Perspective

I'm a Christian so I grew up in church and in "the word" as my pastor would say. I don't want to assume what anyone prescribes to but I found my most important source in my faith. It is the only thing that let me see what I believe is always bigger than me and that is God.

I came to find God as my most important source before I even knew who God was to me. Embracing the idea that things could always be worse didn't take much effort after living through some pretty bad experiences in life. But reading my Bible further cultivated in me a great sense of gratitude to supply me every waking day. In the stories I read I found deep connections with what was going on in my life and what is written. I discovered a solace in fixating my perspective on the light parts of life even in the darkest situations.

This perspective empowered me to find gratitude even in challenging situations, ultimately enhancing my Mental and Emotional Health KPI because gratitude never let me stay down for too long.

Conclusion: Your Journey Awaits

I hope as you journey through life you find this as a helpful set of tools to lead you to fulfillment. I can't promise that it will be void of tough moments, but it is my prayer that they are just that - moments in time. Your experiences may differ from mine or those around you, but these principles to help you control the state of your Mental & Emotional Health KPI are what I believe can make sure those moments in time shape you stronger. Remember, you are not alone in this journey, and with each intentional step you take to be better, gets you one step closer to achieving your version of self-actualization.