Mental Health is one of, if not THE biggest issue facing teenagers today. All around the world, we hear there is a rise in the percentage of young people becoming suicidal, acquiring addictions, suffering from bouts of depression as well as many having the feeling that their lives have little or no importance. Though I agree that these issues are pressing, I am often impressed by the way that most teenagers are more perceptive to how they perceive the outside world than many of us (so called) adults.

However, peace of mind is a state that is not reliant on things that are outside of us. Peace of mind is an internal and subjective experience. It requires that one commits time every day to tune in and be receptive to it. It is also a practice where you will develop a sense of inner tuning that will guide you to make good decisions around your mental health and take control in being the master of your own thoughts, feelings and emotions:

The following are three practices you can have fun with over Mental Health Week.

One minute meditation.
One minute meditation can be either done alone or with friends. At first this may feel weird or strange and you may even go into fits of laughter, but don’t get discouraged. In a short time, you will come to love the serenity that this little practise will give to both body and mind.

This requires you to find a place where you can sit upright with an erect spine for 60 seconds. Sit on a stool with your hands placed gently on your lap and your feet planted firmly on the ground. You can also sit on the ground with your legs crossed in the lotus position if you’d like to try something different. Set a timer on your mobile for one minute. See if you can do this without the aid of music. If you are easily distracted, it would be best if you find a place where you won’t be disturbed.
Close your eyes, breathe gently and tranquilly in and out through your nose. Let your thoughts come and go. Do not try to hold onto them or block anything out. Just be. If you like, you can place both your palms over the middle of your breastbone as you breathe in and out in a steady rhythm.
You can increase this to 70, 80, 90 seconds and so on.

Meditation has been a technique used not only by practising devout holy people but has for decades been implemented into the mainstream society by top athletes for enhanced performance, modern day entertainers in order to come to grips with stage/screen fright and more recently, it has been an important tool for prisoners facing life-long sentences and coming to terms with feelings of shame and heartache.

Open your heart, smile with your eyes and listen with your ears.
This requires you to use drop your verbal communication and instead connect by using your most powerful attributes – your eyes, ears and heart. Find a good friend or family member to practise this with.
This exercise requires you to set aside five minutes of your time. You will need to do this with someone with whom you are comfortable with. This requires you to be present using your eyes and ears in following a conversation.

Begin by asking this person if there is any experience that they wish to discuss with you. Over the next five minutes you will only respond by listening and giving confirmation through your eyes. If you need to confirm what is being said, just a simple nod of the head is all that is required. Convey your attention and empathy by expressing with your eyes how you are following the conversation. Feel free to smile where appropriate.

When the five minutes has transpired, you then switch roles and let your friend be the one to communicate with their eyes and ears to your story.

Non-verbal communication has been proven to be one of the most powerful techniques in building feelings of connectedness in our relationships. How do we know when a person is invested in what we are saying, or has genuine feelings for us? It is often in their body language, and we as individuals need to practise daily how to be genuine in ours, so that we will recognise this in others. By practising to become aware of your non-verbal communication, you are laying a platform where you can build trust and consciousness in your day-to-day interaction. When you genuinely connect to others, it is because you are aware that the person is showing you sincerity through their whole being. Being sincere and patient with ourselves and those around us, are the building blocks to one obtaining a stronger sense of well-being.

Secret (friend) Santa
This action does not have to be done around Christmas time. It can be done at any time of the year. For those of you who are after a real challenge, do it to someone with whom you have had a recent falling out with!
Find your friend or person with whom you will secretly do a good deed for. You are to remain anonymous! (It is essential that this person does not find about this). Do not mention this to others either. This is no game. It is a genuine act of kindness.
Anyone of the following can be performed by you:
a). Pluck flowers or buy a bouquet.
b). Buy a card and write a quote or poem that shows hope or compassion
c). Clean or repair something of meaning for this person
d). Buy the person their favourite snack, fruit or drink.
e). If you are really feeling generous, give the person an experience that you know will mean something to them e.g. Ticket to a concert (remember that you cannot attend this too), voucher for a massage, or a small token or gift that you have either received or collected, and don’t have a problem in giving it away.
Acts of random kindness are connected to building the empathy muscle within us. Often, we are playing out the cycle of, what’s in it for us or we are caught up in the confirmation of our status by likes or comments through various SoME platforms.

Secret Santa is the act of giving unconditionally to others. By remaining anonymous, you are focusing more on the action towards, rather than the reaction from, your recipient. If we are to feel like we are a meaningful part of this world, then it is important for us to be aware of the act of giving, not because you are expecting something in return, but rather, what you contribute is something that you can give away easily for the benefit of others. Unconditional behaviour are the requirements to build a sense of purpose in us, as well as perpetuate good values as a society.

If you learn how to give without strings attached, you will ultimately learn how to take important steps into accepting yourself as an individual and the responsibility that it is important to contribute to a community as an individual, as well as taking care of your own self-worth, and in turn, increasing a stronger mental health for the years that lay ahead.

Giving unconditionally is not only a gift to those around you, but it helps you understand that there is more to life than just personal problems