#ThinkPositive and Make a Difference in the Lives of Young Adults

StrengthofUs.org, NAMI’s online community for young adults, has a new look for the new spring season and they are celebrating the positive changes with a #ThinkPositive social media campaign. StrengthofUs.org is designed to inspire young adults impacted by mental health issues to think positive, stay strong and achieve their goals through peer support and resource sharing.

NAMI has recently redesigned and revamped the site with a fresh look and feel to make it more mobile friendly, interactive and user-friendly. The site also includes new activities, guest blogs and content posted by StrengthofUs.org administrators on topics young adults have shared are most important to them. If young adults create an account and log in, they can also see a bunch of stuff posted by other users like blogs, discussions, media, comments and wire posts. Also, StrengthofUs.org users get exclusive access to opportunities just for them.

After three years of running the site, NAMI has seen time and again that positive messages have a big impact on the lives of young adults. In order to help spread the positive vibes, they launched the #ThinkPositive project, a social media campaign designed to inspire young adults experiencing mental health issues to stay strong and think positive, especially during difficult days. It is NAMI’s hope that the #ThinkPositive project reminds young adults across the country that they are loved, there is hope and they are not alone in their struggles. We are in this together!

Why Get Involved

I decided to get involved with the #ThinkPositive project because I believe that the need for positive thinking is something that unites everyone. Whether you know someone struggling with a mental health condition or face one yourself, it is reassuring to know that sometimes a positive message is just what it takes to turn the day around. 

I myself live with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  Some days I feel overwhelmingly distracted, frustrated and discouraged. My understanding friends and family always manage to help get me back on track by offering encouraging and positive advice. I am so thankful for all that my community has given me and I feel it is only fair to pay it forward. 

I believe the #ThinkPositive project has the power to help eliminate stigma about mental health because it engages a wide range of people who share a common goal. This unity will contribute to the strength of our communities while tearing down the stigmatized boundaries and limitations of mental health conditions.

How to Get Involved

NAMI needs our help spreading the positive vibes and making a difference in the lives of young adults! So here are simple ways to get involved today with the #ThinkPositive project:

• Post a photo of yourself holding a sign describing what makes you #ThinkPositive on our Facebook page or on StrengthofUs.org. Post signs around your college, at your workplace and in your community too. Check out the photos we've gotten so far.
• Join StrengthofUs.org to share the sweetest parts of your day with other young adults. Post inspirational blogs and wire posts with quotes, advice, updates and strategies to motivate your peers to think positive and stay strong.
• Get together your friends, family members and coworkers to create an encouraging slideshow and upload it to YouTube. If you are part of a NAMI on Campus club, get your whole campus community involved in the project. Check out the Think Positive video that StrengthofUs.org created with MakeDC Smile. If you make a video, let us know so we can link to it!
• Follow us on Twitter @StrengthofUs and use the hashtags #ThinkPositive and #StrengthofUs to let us know what helps you think positive and stay strong.
• Follow us on Pinterest to access boards full of inspiring messages, motivating photos and helpful tips for staying happy and healthy.

When my friend also got involved with the #ThinkPositive project, she said that “It is easy to get stuck in a negative slump, but it is even easier to share something positive.” I hope you find it just as easy to get online and start sharing some positivity.

What do you plan to share?