Purpose Over Pain: Preventing Mental Health Crises Before They Begin

The Power of Purpose: Ricardo Zulueta’s Journey to Mental Wellness

In a world that often feels reactive rather than proactive, the conversation about mental health and wellness needs to shift. In a recent episode of the Vibrant Soul Society podcast, hosted by Baba Sam, serial entrepreneur Ricardo Zulueta shared his personal journey and insights on how we can all create better mental health strategies—before the crisis hits.

A Decision to Start Day One

Ricardo’s message to listeners is simple but profound: it all starts with a decision. Whether you're seeking fulfillment, mental wellness, or a life of purpose, the first step is always the same—making the decision to take action. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that happiness or health is a destination you reach and stay at forever. But as Ricardo points out, life is cyclical. Happiness isn’t permanent, nor is mental wellness. Like physical health, it requires continuous effort, maintenance, and a proactive mindset.

Ricardo’s path to understanding the importance of mental health prevention wasn’t a straightforward one. After losing his brother to suicide, he realized that mental health issues like depression and anxiety aren’t just symptoms—they are emotional responses to how we view the world around us. The key, he believes, is shifting perspectives.

The Myth of Depression and Anxiety

One of the most thought-provoking points Ricardo made in this episode was his challenge to conventional thinking about mental health. Too often, we are told that depression and anxiety are "illnesses" in themselves, rather than being the natural emotional responses to negative perspectives on life. Ricardo argues that just like physical ailments, mental health issues are preventable—if we proactively address the root cause, which is often our mindset.

“If you don't take care of yourself—your diet, your exercise, your mindset—you're inevitably going to end up with bigger problems,” Ricardo explains. In the same way that we prevent physical health issues like cavities or obesity by making the right choices, we can prevent mental health crises by making the decision to change our perspectives and take control of our emotional responses.

Purpose: The First Step to Mental Wellness

But what does this all mean for someone trying to improve their mental health? According to Ricardo, the first step is to find purpose. Not the abstract, “find your purpose” rhetoric, but the actionable creation of purpose. True purpose isn’t a lofty concept—it’s something you actively create, and it benefits others, not just yourself.

Creating purpose is a verb, Ricardo emphasizes. It’s about taking action. “When you create a purpose, it provides value and benefits to others,” he says. This sense of purpose becomes a guiding force that keeps you moving forward, even when things get tough. The act of helping others or contributing to a cause can shift your mindset and provide a sense of fulfillment that lasts far longer than temporary happiness.

The Problem with Suicide Prevention

One of the most eye-opening aspects of this episode was Ricardo’s critique of the current suicide prevention approach. He argues that most suicide prevention efforts are reactive, meaning they wait until someone reaches a crisis point before stepping in. "We need to stop focusing on reacting to suicide and start preventing it long before it gets to that point," he says.

Ricardo’s nonprofit, Start Day One, focuses on proactive mental health care, encouraging people to take action before the symptoms of anxiety, depression, or suicidal tendencies appear. This approach mirrors what we do for our physical health—we don’t wait until we’re obese to start eating healthier, and we don’t wait until we’re in a severe health crisis to exercise. Prevention, he insists, is the key to better mental health.

Changing Your Perspective

Perhaps the most important takeaway from Ricardo’s story is the idea that our perspective shapes our reality. Mental health struggles often arise from our way of thinking. For example, anxiety often centers around the future, while depression often focuses on the past. Ricardo’s own experience with bipolar disorder and therapy led him to the realization that the “chemical imbalance” theory might not be the root cause. Rather, it’s how we perceive and respond to life’s challenges that truly affects our mental wellness.

“It’s not about your trauma, it’s about how you’re thinking about it,” he explains. The shift in perspective—looking at your life and experiences through a lens of growth and potential rather than victimhood—can dramatically improve your mental health.

Living with Intention

Ricardo’s journey to mental wellness isn’t just about fixing the problems of the past—it's about living with intention and envisioning a future self that’s healthier, happier, and more fulfilled. This concept of Envisioning, Executing, Evaluating, and Evolving is part of Ricardo’s E-volution Cycle Framework, which helps individuals break down their goals and mindset to create actionable steps toward better mental health.

By making decisions with a clear vision of the future, people can begin to reverse engineer their lives and make the changes they need to thrive. Instead of waiting for a “perfect moment,” you must start from where you are now and take small, actionable steps toward the life you want.

Final Thoughts

The biggest takeaway from this conversation is that mental wellness is a proactive choice. We can’t wait until we hit rock bottom to start making changes. We need to prioritize mindset, create purpose, and take action every day to improve our mental health. Like physical health, mental wellness requires consistent effort, intention, and a shift in perspective.

Ricardo Zulueta’s story is a powerful reminder that you have the power to shape your mental health and create a fulfilling life. By starting with a decision today, we can all start our own “day one”—a day where we choose to live intentionally, with purpose, and with the knowledge that our mental wellness is worth the effort.

To listen to the full conversation, check out the Vibrant Soul Society podcast and hear more of Ricardo’s insights on mental wellness and purpose.

Learn more about the podcast: https://www.beyondheadtrash.com/podcast