My name is Keira and I’m supporting West Sussex Mind's Moving Minds campaign because movement, to me, signifies a journey of reflection, whilst taking positive action towards a path of growth. The journey involves taking measures to understand myself, as well as setting and achieving goals. All which play an integral part in managing my mental health and well-being.
Armed with my headphones and Spotify, taking walks along Worthing beach helps to rejuvenate my mind, body and soul. The beach has witnessed me smile and laugh on days beaming with sunshine, and has seen me sad and, at times, tearful, on days surrounded by clouds and showered with rain. Its influence has guided me through challenging times, including a significant transitional period in my life.
Throughout my journey, I have learnt that struggles come in different forms and have an impact in various ways. Overthinking has been one of my main struggles, leading to heightened and replayed negative thoughts, which in turn, lead to negative feelings including anxiety.
Not always understanding my feelings has made it difficult to manage or deal with them. This has led me to react to situations, instead of taking the time to respond in the most effective way. Due to this, I have not always achieved the desired outcome from a situation, and this has then re-triggered the cycle of overthinking. Upon reflection of such situations, I have been learning, and will continue to learn, about the things I want to change and do differently in order to approach challenging situations with a more positive and effective mindset. Being self-aware is the main skill I have used to support this practice and this has also highlighted my strengths and the parts of myself that I highly value and respect.
Exploring my spirituality, and attending spiritual workshops via the Lighthouse Retreat Centre in Worthing, has made a remarkable and positive difference in my life. Kind souls associated with the centre share their wisdom and insight, and by doing so, encourage me to look at my inner qualities, whilst focusing on key aspects of happiness and how to achieve peace of mind which is my ultimate goal.
My message to you is that you are not alone. From personal experience, having a voice and sharing your experience when you are struggling is truly beneficial. It helps you to receive support and to find comfort in others who relate to what you are going through. This will help your journey of living a happy and fulfilled life, which is entirely possible once you find the support and path that is right for you.
I also encourage looking within to learn about and understand yourself on a deeper level. This can make such a positive difference in helping you to gain an insight into the triggers of your mental health, as well as to learn strategies of how to manage these when they have an impact on you.
Lastly, please remember that your well-being is foremost above all else. Surround yourself with people who fill your life with sunshine and who bring out the best in you. Do the things that bring you peace and joy. But most importantly, be kind, be patient, and work on falling in love with yourself - because that truly is the greatest love story of all.