It’s funny how negativity can flow through one’s mind easily, rooting itself to the brain and isolating every other possibility that could turn it around. I mean, if we were to face a life changing issue and struggles kept piling up, the majority of us would probably lose the strength to overcome them, ultimately step into the bubble of vulnerability.
However, it is possible to change our mindset of negativity to positivity. Danny Raven Tan and Christina Lau are two inspirational living proof of it. Although physically, they didn’t have much power due to the difficulties they had to face; Danny with pancreatic cancer; Christina with her lower body paralyzed, their mental strengths lifted them out of darkness. This brings us to the question of to what extent can our mental strength override the physical issue? How exactly strong can our mental strength be?
Many people recognise Danny Raven Tan as a Singaporean artist, yet there are many more factors that shape who he is today. For many years he wasn’t satisfied with his occupation as he believed it wasn’t what he truly desired to do. He was also taking care of his mother who was diagnosed with dementia, although now she has passed away. He had pancreatic cancer as a virus had spread through, therefore he had to get part of his pancreas removed. Until this day, a scar on his stomach still remains attached within him which he considered a “constant reminder of the nightmare” right after his surgery. He was sinking in depression, wanting to obtain support yet not wanting his family to feel sorry for him or get worried.
It’s easy for the surrounding to tell those people that ‘it’s going to be okay’ but once you touch the surface of depression it can be really hard to step back out. There were so many emotions racing around in Tan’s head, negative thoughts haunting him, taking control of his mind. Struggles are never easy to face, so how can we overcome them?
Although Danny Raven Tan didn’t have much strength physically and the confusion of emotions were taking him down, his value of resilience and strong belief in the thought of having strength, faith and wisdom was incompatible with the storm. The things people value and believe determine an individual’s mindset, furthermore the choices people make. I believe faith holds a lot of significance in what Tan thinks; “God only sends his best soldiers to fight the toughest wars”. He understands religion to be something that teaches him many life lessons which is reflected in the determination and strength he holds. This has influenced him to strongly value resilience. Instead of just asking ourselves “why do I have to face this?”, “why me?”, we should find another alternative and create changes. It’s not like if you complain, an instant light of hope is going to shed right on top of you.
Additionally he had also gained support from his friends and started to see his scar as more of a victory mark that symbolised the incredibly tough journey he has been able to overcome. This suggests that our surrounding community also plays a huge role in influencing the way we perceive things. He came to a realisation that there are two sides in life; the positive and the negative, it all depends on which angle you choose to look at it from. Danny Raven Tan shows us that recovery is possible and that anything is achievable as long as you believe in your capability and let your mind settle in positivity.
Similarly, a Singaporean mouth-painter, Christina Lau has faced many difficult times in her life. Initially, she was a police officer, and considered herself to be an active, energetic and an outgoing person however one day her life changed drastically. She was caught in a serious car accident which left her with her lower body paralysed and her life in a wheelchair had begun. She didn’t know what to do and started to sink in depression. The things she could do were at a certain limit and everything felt very restricted. When she lost the ability to move with her own body, she lost her freedom. When you aren’t capable of doing the things you love to do anymore, what can you do?
On top of that, many people began to look at her with cold stares and thought she was ‘weird’. This caused her to become hesitant to step out of her house, feeling isolated from the rest of the world; every day a struggle to do what we often consider ‘simple’ or ‘normal’ such as getting out of bed or changing your clothes. The weeks like storms passing by, pulling her down and drowning her in darkness.
On the contrary, above all the negativity there were still people who loved her and were there to support her; her family and friends. They were there by her side and Lau realised that they really do cared for her, she couldn’t just give up and that sparked her to think more positively. Even in her wheelchairs, physically weak, she could still embrace her energetic and happy personality through her mind, through her feelings; through another outlet. She wanted to return back to her ‘normal life’ and live life without boundaries. She began playing table tennis and later on joined a group of mouth painters. Although these were challenges as it was both something very new to her, she believes that “if you never try, you can never know how far you’ll go”.
Christina Lau shows us that love also plays an important role during recovery and helping you stand back up on your feet. Family and friends can also teach us or influence us to hold certain values and beliefs. A positive mindset caused Christina to take risks and show perseverance during her journey which led to impactful outcomes as she has been able to discover her capability as well as talent, and fully embrace them. This is ultimately influenced by other factors, a lot of the time our surrounding community. Without the support from her close ones, Christina Lau wouldn’t have gained encouragement and live up to her full potential. She would’ve continued to have a fixed negative mindset and feel isolated in her own bubble.
Danny Raven Tan and Christina Lau are only two of many examples out in the world today that make us acknowledge the possibility of changing our mindset of negativity to positivity. They prove to us the power of mental strength and show us the importance of challenges and advocating for change. I believe difficulties in our lives also play a vital role to develop and strengthen one mentally. I’ve realised that we shouldn’t look at challenges as something that’s threatening but as the starting point of letting us reinforce our mental strength.
So to what extent can our mental strength override the physical issue? Well, it differs for various people however at the end of the day it all comes down to having a positive mindset and bouncing back from the negativity. In other words, motivation is key and what we value and believe creates an influence on how we think and act, furthermore the surrounding community and society also holds significance. They can lead to the increase in self-belief and confidence. These factors could potentially drive us to show perseverance and move forwards. Positivity in a negative situation is often overlooked, causing people to isolate themselves or becoming unable to step away from the dark, therefore it is vital to understand the contrasting sides on a subject.
Throughout the opportunity to listen to various stories, I’ve realised that although you may be dealing with a physical issue, mental strength is truly powerful. I believe mental strength is not just the ability to believe in yourself, but also about facing struggles and overcoming them and the development of perseverance as well as changing your mindset to the positive. Although Danny Raven Tan and Christina Lau’s story may be from a larger scale, for instance things such as staying resilient and continuing to work hard after you haven’t done so well in a test or acknowledging how mistakes in projects and assignments are an opportunity to help you show growth, is a similar concept which I think is something we can all take away.
Bibliography for images:
MFPA. “Christina Lau Lay Lian.” MFPA, MFPA, 2014, mfpa.com.sg/artists/christina-lau-lay-lian/.
Element. “Danny Raven Tan : Cancer Survivor Turned Artist Adds Eclectic Flavour to Local Art Scene.” Magzter – World’s Largest Digital Newsstand with over 9,500 Magazines, Magzter, www.magzter.com/article/Lifestyle/ELEMENT/Danny-Raven-Tan-Cancer-Survivor-Turned-Artist-Adds-Eclectic-Flavour-to-Local-Art-Scene.
The Artling. “Danny Raven Tan.” The Artling, The Artling, theartling.com/en/artists/danny-raven-tan/.
Wicks, Rosemarie. “5 Simple Steps to Maintain Mental Strength.” School of Natural Health Science, School of Natural Health Science, 25 Jan. 2016, naturalhealthcourses.com/2016/01/5-simple-steps-to-maintain-mental-strength/.
