“Sometimes, the hardest part isn’t letting go, but rather learning to start over.” – Nicole Sobon.
Many of us are dealing with heartbreak and personal challenges in our day-to-day lives and it’s not just about moving on from the past but also finding the strength to begin afresh. Learning to start over means accepting what has happened, letting go of the pain, and finding a new path forward.
Meet Priyanka, a 28-year-old, working as a video editor at SUGAR and currently lives in Mumbai.
Priyanka belongs to a loving family that includes her mother, her younger sister and brother, and her elder sister. She grew up in a supportive environment and that has shaped her into the emotional and caring person she is today.
“I’m a very loving person and very emotional. I love my work, listening to music, chatting with friends, and spending time with them while enjoying the little pleasures of life.”
Priyanka learned about YourDOST through her workplace, which has a partnership with the organization as their official mental health partner. Here she met her counsellor, who turned out to be the best support she could find.
“It was a great experience and I gained some clarity when I was facing issues and felt mentally stressed out. Negative thoughts were overwhelming me, but talking to her gave me a new perspective.”
Priyanka was going through some mental health issues due to a painful breakup. Along with that, her ex-boyfriend’s sudden marriage left her shattered. The trauma of the breakup, along with the shock of him moving on so quickly started haunting her.
“He cheated on me and married someone else without telling me. He took his wife to the places we used to go, and seeing them together broke me inside.”
Priyanka turned to therapy to cope with these feelings. Her counsellor provided practical advice, such as keeping herself busy with activities she enjoyed and starting meditation. These techniques helped Priyanka manage her thoughts and emotions more effectively.
“Talking about my concerns and sharing opinions helped me figure things out more easily. My counsellor’s interactive sessions made me feel comfortable discussing my issues.”
It was Priyanka’s first time in counselling, and she appreciated the chance to set expectations and find solutions with her therapist’s guidance. Over time, she noticed positive changes in herself as he began to trust herself and others again.
“It was a big change for me. Today, if anything related to my past comes up now, I take it positively rather than negatively. I used to avoid even hearing his name, but now I can ignore it when someone talks about him.”
Earlier Priyanka used to stalk her ex-partner on social media and feel worthless about herself, but after counselling she stopped stalking him and she accepted the fact and moved on.
“I just wanted to thank my counsellor for teaching me to deal with my negative thoughts. She showed me how to turn negative experiences into positive lessons and I now see the breakup as a blessing because it happened before marriage. If it had happened after, it would have been much worse.”
In terms of feeling better, Priyanka rates herself a 5, signifying significant improvement. For her, improvement means gaining control over her emotions.
We are confident that Priyanka is on her way to achieving her best self and wish her all the luck in her future endeavours!
Priyanka’s Warrior Tips:
1.“Therapy is the first step towards a better life that most people are scared to take due to stigma.”
2.“Let go of the fear and enjoy the healing process.”
