“There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.” – Alan Cohen
Humans are always in need to achieve something and gaining success. Many of us tend to set a bar for ourselves, be it as little as finishing house chores and as huge as learning a new skill. As children, we have been taught that losing is never an option and we should never accept defeat. However, we may feel overwhelmed and lost at times, and when that happens we should not surrender to negative thoughts. Despite listening to motivational speeches and reading articles, sometimes we may feel like we have lost sight of our goal and that is okay to feel so, considering we decide to take appropriate actions on it.
“I have tasted the blood of success from a young age. But interacting with new industry experts shook my confidence.”
This is the story of Rishabh, who is pursuing a Ph.D. from a premier IISC institution. Rishabh was an achievement-oriented individual from a very young age. He has always excelled in academics and was very confident with his dreams and plans for the future. When Rishabh got admission at IISC, he encountered many experts from different fields and that filled Rishabh’s mind with negativity and self-doubt. Lockdown made Rishabh feel more pressured and left him with no hope.
The situation got worse when Rishabh began to feel triggered by every little mistake of his and it made him feel ashamed of himself. He constantly used to get the feeling of “How can I not know this?” and it pushed him into the pit of self-doubt. To overcome this feeling, Rishabh used to take small breaks but that affected him negatively when he started feeling guilty for taking a break. This eventually affected Rishabh’s ability to work and shattered his self-esteem. Fortunately, Rishabh was familiar and open to seeking help from a professional and so he contacted YourDOST for a counseling session.
“I had set an extremely high standard for myself and now that I was fumbling to achieve that and was pushed to negativity.”
Rishabh got connected with YourDOST expert Mr. Gurung Tashi and he began his journey to re-establish himself in his own eyes. Rishabh took some time to open up to Tashi as he thought his problems were not as big and did not necessarily require counseling. But soon he realised that talking and discussing with the counselor can benefit him a lot and so a rapport was formed. Rishabh one by one explained his issues and Tashi provided him a safe space to do so.
“My counselor advised me to change my perspective and soon after that, I began to see myself differently. He was non-judgemental throughout the session which helped me to explain better.”
Tashi advised Rishabh to have a better perspective on life and about himself. This helped Rishabh to be more positive and modify his thought process as well. Tashi explained to Rishabh how human thoughts are formed in affective, emotional, and behavioural ways and how changing the way of thinking can improve one’s mental health. Rishabh also started writing a journal to identify his thought process and reduce negative thinking. Rishabh found these techniques very helpful and now whenever he takes a break, he doesn’t feel guilty at all. Isn’t life all about being able to enjoy work and leisure time as well!?
Had it not been for counseling, Rishabh would not have been able to enjoy a day off. He expresses his gratitude to Tashi for being there when no other person was able to help Rishabh.
For someone like Rishabh, taking a step back and taking things slow was not an easy task, but he feels counseling has helped him to achieve peace of mind and he urges everyone to consider counseling as an option to let go of the negativity.
Rishabh’s Warrior Tips:
1. Having a counselor is like having a mirror for your ideas and issues, where you can discuss and seek help freely.
2. Everyone should consult an expert, whenever they need to do so. It’s worth giving it a shot before reaching any conclusion!
Are you someone who has gone through a difficult phase and emerged stronger and better, with some professional help? Share your story with us to encourage thousands of others who might be struggling. Click here to submit your story.
