Pursuit of Happiness: GROOVY and N3WYRKLA Get Real About Their Mental Health

Groovy

To a cynical person, thinking your way out of negativity might not seem like a viable option, but it is for shapeshifting R&B vocalist Groovy. Like anyone else, the Union, NJ creator has his bad days, but over time, he’s learned how to manage them through thoughtful mental health practices. Now, he’s sharing his secrets. One month removed from releasing his Crying In The Club EP, GROOVY speaks on the power of staying positive, how to help friends in emotional turmoil and more.

Groovy: The easiest way to get away from negativity is to not give it a platform. Curating your own space is so important. The people I surround myself with, the content I consume and information I choose to view all reflects my outlook. Sometimes it’s difficult to not spiral into negative thinking. Practice is the best way to keep yourself positive. Actively reminding yourself that you are loved, intelligent, and a good person reinforces these ideas to yourself. Currently, I’d rate my mental health a C+. The ebbs and flows of being an artist are new for me and I'm still getting adjusted to this lifestyle. The foundation work I did in therapy helps a lot, but being an artist is a whole new world with new challenges. Stewing in your own negative soup is never a good idea. TALK TO SOMEONE. Call a friend or family member, don’t go through it alone. Everyone needs help from time to time, be that help. Be a good listener, and let [friends experiencing mental health struggles] express themselves without judgment. Sometimes just acknowledging someone’s concerns can take a weight off their shoulders.

N3WYRKLA

Alt-R&B stylist N3WYRKLA has no problem letting fans see her raw emotions in her music. With her latest EP, it’s not you, it’s me, she swerves between feelings as quickly and seamlessly as she shifts genres, presenting a complete portrait of what it means to sort through life and love as a 20-something still figuring things out like the rest of us. Fresh off dropping her Timbaland-produced new single, "CH3RRY," N3WYRKLA details just how she preserves her mental health — and how to help friends do the same.

N3WYRKLA shares her mental health tips with Okayplayer for Wellness Wednesday. Photo by @desmirera.

N3WYRKLA: My mental health is amazing at this point in my life. I’m having a lot of fun right now and I’m in a really good place with the music I’m making and experiences I’m getting to enjoy. To keep away from negativity, I hang out with family and friends to stay grounded and do things I enjoy doing (hobbies). I appreciate what’s real in my life versus giving energy to what isn’t — the internet. To be more positive, I try to get closer to my religion. I feel like having a strong Iman (faith) causes me to leave things up to the universe, as long as I’m putting my best foot forward. Personally, when I’m dealing with my feelings I like to just sit alone in silence and really just take the time to think and re-evaluate. Going to therapy can help if you're someone who likes talking to others about problems. I feel like it depends on the person.

Going through life there’s always gonna be struggles, you can’t expect everything to always go your way or for you to always be on the upside. So, when you are going through something try to find things that keep you grounded and bring you back to yourself (hobbies, friends, family, anything that makes you happy), to try to stay positive and remember that there’s always a new day.