Emma Mildon is the best selling author of “The Soul Searchers Handbook” she has about 30k followers on her Instagram and is simply an all-round lovely human. The two times I really got to know Emma happened to be at lululemon events where we kinda just stepped to the side and ended up having in-depth chats about life, the universe and everything in it. And I guess that’s just it, Emma is a soul searcher just like me and probably you… We’re just looking for some answers in order to make our lives and the lives of everyone around us just a little bit better. We’re not ‘experts’ per se, we just trying our best to improve, through whatever means necessary.
These are Emma’s answers to my five (six) questions:
What is the one thing that has made the biggest impact on your mental health?
Me. My ability to let my thoughts, fears, or worries consume me or to stay in a place of positivity and optimism. My ability in how I choose to react to what life throws at me. My choices.
What rituals do you do every day for your mental health?
I am a big fan of TM (Transcendental Meditation). Singing loudly in my car like a crazy lady amidst all the angry people beeping their horns – definite ritual. And, my favourite, dancing in the shower! All things I do every day that contribute to my sanity, and my good mood.
Is there some unconventional mental health wisdom you either love or hate?
I loathe the thought that alternative or new age tools are deemed ‘woo-woo’. Truth is, we are entitled to believe in whatever we damn well please – especially if it makes us feel good and helps heal or support us. Tools like acupuncture, meditation, yoga, crystals are as important for some people as a summer holiday for their mental health. My wish is that society would stop belittling such powerful tools that support so many people and can be a simple tool to make an OK day, a great one!
Is there something that you have done, when not feeling well, that has helped people understand you more?
I was depressed in my early twenties. A lot of the friends around me at the time didn’t understand and I felt incredibly broken and alienated. Turns out, the people who found my mental health a burden, or only wanted to see me when I was ‘better’ weren’t my friends. This was powerful, because it meant I could surround myself with more compassionate company. It was hard at the time, but it changed my life for the better. Today I really value who I give my time and energy to, and really cherish my relationships with those that get me for who I am. The good, and the bad.
What gave you hope when you felt there was none?
Life. We are meant to move in cycles. Think of the seasons. Think of the moon. Nothing in nature blooms all year round, and neither will we. We need down times, we need high times like the world needs day and night. When you are able to roll with the punches of life, and ebb and flow with the good and bad times you find you can become more agile and capable of handling all that life has to offer. You begin to see hope through the lessons you learn from what you have experienced, rather than the burdens of what you went through. You transform from a victim, to a student. You learn. You grow. It is quite a beautiful cycle…
And I let Emma have a sixth because she flattered me by putting my book in her answers…
What’s the one book that has had the most impact on your mental health and why?
Feel naughty here, because I know the question said one. But I have many….
A Guide To Live More Awesome by Jimi Hunt
Why Was I Adopted by Carole Livingston (Childhood fave, most read book for me in my lifetime)
