In the beginning, everyone is dealt a different hand. Some get really good ones. They might be born into a wealthy, well-adjusted, loving family with a mostly trauma-free childhood.
Other people get bad hands. Their lives are full of trauma. Maybe their dad abandons the family. Or both of their parents are alcoholics and drug addicts that verbally and sexually abuse them. Or they are born where the basic necessities of life–water, food, and shelter–are inaccessible.
But any hand can be a winning hand.*
Remember these things:
This is temporary. You and everyone you know and love will die. It’s tragic but this is what makes life so beautiful. Almost everything in life is designed to distract us from this very fact. Engage with the world around you.
You can’t level up until you learn what you’re supposed to learn. If you feel stuck, take a step back and do something different.
Put things into perspective. We are catapulting on a rock through space with no knowledge of how or why we got here. Relax.
It’s a team game. Without teammates, you can neither play nor enjoy it. Relationships make life worth living. Love is the most important thing. Trite but true.
The fundamentals of mental and physical health should be forces of habit. Eat healthily, cultivate relationships, sleep 8 hours a night, and exercise.
Note: Mental health is fundamental. Aside from the above three things, cultivating values, standards, self-awareness, and empathy creates mental wellness.
*While I do believe this, there are people who face obstacles and traumas impossible to overcome without external intervention.