How to: Fix Your Soul

To all of the damaged souls, I write;Your soul is like a flower,And sometimes you just need to add a little water,To allow yourself to stretch your roots.Without water,You shall wilt.But, you can either let yourself go with the wind,And grow again,Or strengthen your roots,Until help holds your side,And you bloom blissfully,Into the blossom that you are today.- Meredith Feld______________________________________________

So how does one 'fix' their soul?

Through nature, that's how we fix our soul. Naturally.

The Details

Our souls are just like flowers. We all require specific needs and care to make our adventure through life. If you are struggling or have struggled with mental health I would recommend reading my poetry in hope that I can guide you. I write my deepest thoughts onto paper and use the power of creative writing to allow multiple analysis or purpose and personalisation. We are all living, and have all felt or been damaged. Whether this be the fool who picked the stem out of the ground, or the plant rejecting environmental factors. This is a friendly reminder that you are never alone, even when you feel so far away. A reminder to indulge in environmental factors to keep you in a positive light. I am your gardener. I will nurture you on how to grow whilst allowing you to stand tall. One thing you must do to look after yourself is to always stay hydrated and add that water to your soul. We will all wilt without water. I understand how difficult battling mental health can be and how hard it may seem to look after yourself. You will have days where you just want to give up and quit. Gardeners do not quit. They strive for perfection and learn from their mistakes. If that gardener was to quit, we would have much less of our beautiful plants (souls) and no place for our pollinators. See yourself, or a close relative who has guided you throughout life, as the gardener. See the pollinator as yourself in the sense of you are needed. You are wanted. As humans we also have a choice. Either you choose to let yourself wander off with the wind into oblivion, but know that you will grow again as you plant yourself into earth's core like a dandelion's weed and are reborn.

From personal experiences, I have wanted to wander and have been lost within my own mind. I have been gone with the wind. I have wanted to re-invent myself, run away, escape, a new identity. But, I got through my minefield of a head (through therapy. Of course, I won't force this upon my readers as it is not for everyone but it is always an option) and I found a way to not bury myself too deep. You have to find your soil and your ground. What would make you distracted? Find a hobby (and no, it doesn't have to be gardening!). I opened up and let the sun (the sun being my happiness, friends, family and loved ones around me) strengthen my petals. I know not everyone is fortunate to have family and/or friends but there is always someone. Although, you must be kind to yourself as you're the one that you have to live with for the rest of your life. I dug my roots firmly into the ground so I could eventually stand my stem tall and strong preparing for the elements. In your own time, when you're ready, please, strengthen your roots and do not neglect yourself. Drink the water, talk to people about your feelings, as it will only make you stronger. Again, the gardener wouldn't have been so successful without trial-and-error or tips/guidance from others. Have help by your side until you can be independent. Bloom and become the beautiful blossom that you are today. Be the blossom that the gardener takes pride in. The blossom that the gardener has seen evolve and stand independently.

TIP OF THE DAY: Nature can really help with mental health. If you're feeling unhappy, it may be to do with your environment. Although I personally enjoy the comfort of indoors, it has never benefited my mental health because I run out of distractions and begin to think or I try to sleep the pain away. Whenever I go outdoors, I feel much better. I have an open environment to think and to feel. I have the beauty of the wind, rain, or sunshine on my skin to remind me that I am alive. I can see beautiful scenery and take pride in the little things such as the birds singing their songs or children's laughter in the park. Go outdoors and experience what I write. All good things are wild and free.

So, what have we learned?

1. Stay hydrated you thirsty h#!s.
2. Embrace the natural outdoors.
3. Consider becoming a hippy (just kidding).
4. Take up a hobby (gardening is an option, really).
5. Talk to someone.

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If my poetry didn't help you...

GUIDANCE AND TIPS:

1. Talk to someone you trust
2. Let family or friends know what's going on for you. They may be able to offer support and help keep you safe.
3. There's no right or wrong way to talk about suicidal feelings or mental health– starting the conversation is what's important.

Who else you can talk to:

If you find it difficult to talk to someone you know, you could:

• call your GP – ask for an emergency appointment or book counselling.
• call 111 (UK) out of hours – they will help you find the support and help you need.

Samaritans – for everyone

• Call 116 123

Childline – for children and young people under 19

• Call 0800 1111 – the number won't show up on your phone bill

Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) – for men

• Call 0800 58 58 58 – 5pm to midnight every day GMT

Tips for coping right now;

• Try not to think about the future—just focus on getting through today.
• Stay away from drugs and alcohol
• Get yourself to a safe place, like a friend's house
• Be around other people
• Do something you usually enjoy, such as spending time with a pet