There is no escaping the fact that whatever you do, you will be judged by society. So, what is the mindset that people should adopt to not get much impacted by such things, and, instead, seek the good things that society has to offer?
2013-batch IAS officer of UP cadre and current DM of Mirzapur, Divya Mittal, has some answers. She says that as an IAS officer, she has seen both the best and the worst of society. In a Twitter thread, she has 10 pointers for growing children and young adults, and also some important tips on how people should treat their life, so that they cannot be impacted much by societal pressures.
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
It is a fact that our beliefs determine our actions, and our actions determine our results. Hence, our beliefs are the core part of our results.
Ms. Mittal’s first tweet reads: “Believe in yourself. Believe in yourself even when no one believes in you. Especially at that time, believe in yourself. Don’t let other people define what you can or cannot do.”
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL AS YOU ARE
In her next tweet, she suggests people should always portray themselves as beautiful and confident, because a poor image will be treated as failure.
She says, “You are beautiful. You are wonderful the way God has made you. Don’t let your self image be poor because you do not fit into some convention of society.”
BE PROUD OF YOURSELF
“Be proud of your accomplishments. Only you know the struggles you have faced in life. And, hence, you know the difficulty of what you have achieved. Be proud of what you have done till now. Be hopeful of the future,” she writes in her next tweet.
Here, she clearly conveys that you should always feel proud of yourself, no matter what you have done in your life, and stay positive, too.
BELIEVE IN THE GOODNESS OF PEOPLE
Next, she talks about one of the aspects of human nature – if someone hurts us, then, we think that all are like that. But, in reality, it is not that.
She says, “Believe in the goodness of people. There are all kinds of people in this world. Some are not so good. But most of the world is nice and kind. Don’t give up on people and humanity.”
STAND BY EACH OTHER
Togetherness gives strength. Hence, Ms. Mittal also suggests that if stand by each other, then, you can fight anything.
“Stand by each other. You don’t even know how much strength you can give to each other by just being there. Tell your friend who is going through a difficult time that you will be there. Then you will see that they will be able to overcome their problems themselves.”
DO NOT COMPARE
It is human nature to compare. But, it is unhealthy. Hence, her next tweet says:
“Don’t compare yourself with others. Seeing other’s picture perfect life on social media is a major cause of sadness these days. Be happy with yourself.”
BEING SAD IS OK
Then, she says that being sad is ok.
“Social media makes us believe everyone is happy all the time. That is not true. Don’t force yourself to be happy. You will be sad at times. Sadness is a part of life.”
LEARN TO LIKE WHAT YOU DO
Here, she stresses upon the importance of liking what you are doing. Sometime you might be forced to do what you don’t like. But, you never know, it could be beneficial for your long-term goals or dreams.
“Learn to like what you do. Even when you are following your dreams, there will be times when you have to do things that you do not enjoy as much. Don’t run after instant gratification all the time. Focus on the long term.”
BE GRATEFUL
“Be grateful for the things you have. Don’t take things, people and feelings for granted. Never hurt the feelings of another person. If they slip away from you, you will realize how difficult it is to live without them,” her next tweet reads.
It’s an unversal truth that being grateful makes us a better human being, besides reducing our stress. So it’s important to practise being grateful every day. There’s always something to be grateful for.
DO NOT BE EMBARASSED TO SEEK HELP
Lastly, she talks about depression, and why admitting to having mental health problems is as normal as day and night.
“While being sad is normal, if the feeling of melancholy or any other psychological feeling is persistent, get yourself checked by a medical practitioner. There is no embarrassment in admitting a mental issue. Get treated.”
