Throughout most of his career, Big Sean has been something of a motivational figure. In his lyrics, you’ll find lines that could double as encouraging mantras or words of advice. And the same can be said for interviews he’s done.
He’s always been open about his mental health and dealing with depression and anxiety, as well as what he does to combat that, such as meditation and journaling.
He’s become a person who offers insightful tips on how to keep one’s self-help in check, serving as an example of hip-hop’s progression toward talking about mental illness more seriously than it ever has before. He’s even releasing a book about how to maintain one’s mental wellness called Go Higher: Five Practices for Purpose, Success and Inner Peace, which drops in January of next year.
Whether you’ve been on a journey to better yourself for quite some time or are trying to make the first steps to do so, Sean has some advice he’s offered throughout the years that could be helpful.
Ahead iof Better Me Than You, his forthcoming new album that drops this Friday, here are five self-help lessons we can learn from Big Sean.
The Importance of Meditation
“I meditate every day, I journal every day. I have to take the time out — even if it’s just 15, 20 minutes — just to get my mind straight.” — Interview on Amanda Seales TV
This is essentially self-help 101: being intentional about making time to decompress and acknowledge what you’re feeling and thinking, whether through meditating or journaling. The two-hit combo of practicing both is ideal, but if you can only do one or the other, just make sure you devote some time to doing so.
Focus on Yourself First
“Focused on the inner me, never on the enemy.” — “Sacrifices”
Oftentimes, we devote energy to things other than ourselves. Whether it be enemies or something else, we’re all guilty of letting something beyond our control take our focus. The best way to combat that is by giving ourselves some intentional attention; figuring out ways to better ourselves and really address what’s going on internally instead of being fixated on something externally.
Material Things Aren’t As Important as Gratitude
“And realized counting money never feel as good as counting blessings / And a loaded mind is more dangerous than a loaded weapon.” — “The Light”
There’s a twofold lesson here: the importance of gratitude and having a clear mind. To be grateful for what you have can be grounding, encouraging you to be present as you reflect on all of the good you have in your life. That, paired with making sure you’re clearing your mind through healthy habits — meditating, journaling, therapy — will help you in so many ways.
It’s Okay — Even Necessary — to Unplug Sometimes
“I had a day not too long ago where I put my phone in the drawer. I had to leave it, I didn’t pick it back up until midnight when I was about to go to sleep. And I didn’t go to the studio that day, I didn’t do anything. I just needed time to myself.” — Interview on Jay Shetty Podcast
In the social media age, it’s hard to feel like you can disconnect from your phone. It’s become so normalized to have it on you at all times, that enacting a boundary like what Sean did would probably have people looking at you crazy. But by disconnecting, you’re not distracted by the escape your phone provides. Also, don’t let living in a hyper-capitalist society fool you. It’s fine to take days when you’re absolutely not doing anything, and there’s no need to fill days like that up with productive activities. Sometimes, you just need to marathon one of your favorite shows and order delivery.
Take Initiative and Manifest
“‘You got to change the way you’re thinking. This has to do with this. You manifest what you want. You create it. You can’t be successful feeling like this.’” — Interview on Microphone Check
Granted, these words of advice come from Sean’s mother but he’s the one delivering them in this interview, so we’ll let it slide. In all seriousness though, manifesting is crucial to self-help. It’s a disciplinary act to make the conscious decision to change your way of thinking for the better, and to do so consistently. When your mindset is bogged down by negativity or intrusive thoughts, it’s hard to envision something better for yourself. But you’ve got to do it, because by creating that mental foundation, you’re not just recalibrating your mind to think differently, but you’re also making the first steps toward imagining the reality you hope to achieve.
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