This week's newsletter may seem a little different than usual.
Some may mistake it for a political speech by a local TD, but I assure you I will not be asking you for your vote at the next election.
I am not in any way saying what I am going to propose will stop the high numbers of people attempting and sadly successfully taking their own lives.
Anyways, let me begin.
But first, let me ask you a question, what do doctors, accountants, hairdressers, tradespeople, airline pilots, and all other jobs have in common?
While we are at it, let's include all the people without employment too?
Answer coming soon.
Yes, they probably all did go to school, they have that in common, but it's not it.
And they probably all did history, geography, English, and math.
How many doctors have needed to know how the Battle of Hastings went to carry out a surgery?
Or do accountants need to know the only sea without coasts to calculate their numbers? (its the Sargasso sea btw)
And I've yet to meet a hairdresser who used their knowledge of the square root of something when micing a color or doing a haircut.
Now I get it; they are on the curriculum, and advisable to have some knowledge of all of these areas, but in the grand scheme of things, how often are they used unless they specialize in certain areas.
But, knowledge and correct understanding regarding thoughts, feelings, and emotions are and will be used in all aspects of their lives, regardless of their job.
Understanding attachment styles, the five stages of grief, to some essential learnings about codependency and addiction could and may help people rethink certain situations that come into their lives.
The importance of self-care and how it can significantly impact performance regarding work and lifestyle choices.
So much will happen in various areas of their lives once they leave school, so having some knowledge, even a tiny amount, may give an individual a better understanding of why things happen and, more importantly, why they react the way they do.
Learning about communication and the correct language to use could make even a tiny difference once they get out into the big imperfect world.
Therapy helps provide this knowledge to any person who feels lost or needs some answers regarding their thoughts, behaviors, or feelings, but that choice to attend therapy doesn't happen for everyone.
But therapy isn't for everyone, be it for financial reasons, pride, the stigma that surrounds it, or possibly the idea that "this is the way it is" and carries on regardless, so for those people, having some little knowledge they may have picked up in school could really help them.
Shouldn't some small learnings about this be given to them in a place where they go to learn for 8/10 years of their lives?
I used to smirk every time I saw somebodies bio under education when it said
“School of Life,” but you know what, that's the best school of them all.
We learn all the best lessons, albeit through some ok a lot of hurt and pain, but we know regardless.
But what if there is some knowledge given to them?
Would it help them?
Help them make better choices? Help with the immediate panic and negative thoughts that come first to their minds?
Because I know when I was faced with any trauma or questions needing answering in my life, I didn't thank my knowledge of the Battle of Hastings for getting me through it.
Thanks for reading
Marcus.