‘If I have seen further, it’s by standing on the shoulders of the giants’

–Issac Newton
WE are humans; we are social animals by nature, and we need people to grow, thrive, and succeed in our life. Last month, we celebrated Mental Health Awareness Month with the 2022 “Loneliness” theme. In this fast-paced world, we are finding it challenging to find time for others in our lives and ourselves. And so, many of us suffer in silence and alone. This stresses the importance of creating support systems in life, and safe spaces to talk about our challenges in personal and professional life. These support systems can be a mentoring relationship with family members, friends, partners, colleagues, managers, or professional mentors.

WHAT IS MENTORING?
Mentoring is the process of helping another person, and a mentor is someone who can advise, support, and guide another person in the right direction. The best mentors can help us identify, clarify and express our inner calling.

Mentorship is a two-way process: It’s an interaction between humans, and not some transaction, so, don’t always expect to go straight up to people and ask for advice. Try to develop a genuine connection with those you admire, and provide help to them whenever possible.

TYPES OF MENTORS:
Anthony Tijan, CEO of the firm, Boston Venture Capital, has identified five kinds of people that you can have as mentors in life. We all could use more than one mentor in life, and let us use this as a guide to understanding the mentoring relationship.

1. THE MASTER OF CRAFT:
These are the iconic figures or the best in your field. Whether you are a health professional, teacher, or an entrepreneur, these are the people who have gained wisdom through years of experience, and can help you identify, realise, and fine-tune your skills and strength to become an expert in your industry.

2. THE CHAMPION OF YOUR CAUSE:
This mentor is the one who will talk about you and your services to others; they act as an advocate, and help connect and network with other useful people in your field.

3. THE CO-PILOT:
These are your peers and colleagues who are always there with you, assisting in your projects, and advising you in navigating the challenges in your workplace. These are the people you are committed to supporting, collaborating with, and holding accountable to each other.

4. THE ANCHOR:
This mentor doesn’t necessarily need to be an expert in your field; it can be a friend or a family member. We all go through challenging times, and we need anchors in our life who can act as a sounding board, encouraging us, and lifting us to stay focused on our values and goals.

5. THE REVERSE MENTOR:
The word mentor is often related to someone who has years of experience, and is a senior person. But a mentee can also act as a mentor, and we all can learn from the people that we mentor in our life, too. Even though these people might have fewer years of experience than you, or they can even be your students, they can give you an opportunity for feedback and fresh perspectives.

THE POSITIVE EFFECT OF MENTORING ON MENTAL WELL-BEING:
We all have heard about the benefits of having a mentor in life, and it’s something that is encouraged in schools, universities, and also in workplaces to find, to have a mentor. Here we will understand the impact that mentoring can have on our mental health. Mentoring relationships can have a positive effect on mental health for both mentors and mentees.

HELPS TO MANAGE ISOLATION:
Many of us who deal with emotional issues also deal with social isolation and withdrawal. We have our concerns about talking about or sharing our emotional problems with family and friends for fear of judgment and criticism. A mentor can act as a friend, confidante, or sounding board who can help you fight the feelings of isolation. Having a mentor is considered one such mental health support system. It can also be someone who has gone through similar experiences in their life and is able to help you navigate these challenges.

HELPS TO REDUCE YOUR ANXIETY:
When we suffer from constant anxiety, it can affect our day-to-day performance of tasks and our general well-being. Talking and sharing with a mentor can help minimise the feelings of anxiety and worries. I would highly advise seeking professional psychological help if you are dealing with intense anxiety or anxiety for a long term that is debilitating.

HELPS BOOST SELF-CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM:
We all know that increased self-confidence can have a hugely positive effect on our mental health. Mentoring relationships can help us explore our ideas and grow in a non-judgmental space, which in turn can help us deal with the feelings of worthlessness and feelings of failure.

HELPS TO BUILD HOPE FOR THE FUTURE:
This pandemic situation has taught us all something, that is, the uncertainty of life. We can experience fear from time to time, thinking about what lies ahead of us. Sometimes this fear can be crippling enough. Mentors in our life can help us guide, work towards our goals and accelerate our growth in life, thereby reducing our worries and instilling hope around the future.

‘A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself’
–Oprah Winfrey

Gratitude and acknowledgement to all mentors in my life who have helped me discover myself and my inner calling.

Thank you for reading! Be inspired and inspire others in life. Mentoring is not a therapy session, and a mentor is not a therapist. It’s important to realise when you need professional help for your mental health issues and reach out at +592 613 9255,
(Anju Vivekanandaraj, MSN., MSc(Clinical Psy), Registered Clinical Psychologist) for both Online and in-person therapy sessions. Kindly send in your queries and feedback at innerpeacegy@gmail.com