If I had to define what a psychologically healthy person is in one word, it would be resourceful. The opposite of a resourceful person is a victim. The healthy person lives with a resourceful mind set, while the unhealthy person lives with a victim mindset. You might be wondering, that you know resourceful people who are not very healthy. This is because such people only meet certain specific needs like financial security, but ignore their other needs.
Life is about getting our essential physical, emotional, and spiritual needs met consistently often in the face of adversity. We always have a choice to persevere or quit. Healthy people persevere. Unhealthy people quit. It is interesting that Jewish tradition teaches that the goal of the “evil inclination” is to destroy our will and spirit by wearing us down so that we will give up and quit, essentially killing us.
Resourceful people are self-sufficient in the best sense of the idea. They live with a confidence that they know how to take care of themselves. They do not create dependencies or rely on crutches to boost their self-worth or happiness. They do not give power to others rendering themselves feeling helpless and powerless. They don’t make excuses or blame others or circumstances but take full responsibility for their psychological well-being.
From this perspective, psychotherapy is essentially a process of building resilience and resourcefulness. Depression, anxiety, OCD, addictions, trauma, etc. are obstacles that limit our ability to meet our needs adequately. A life of healthy spirituality can certainly help to build inner strength and empowerment as well.
With the New Year upon us, may each of us find what we need to live with a resourceful mindset and experience of life of well-being and personal fulfillment.