“It’s not
selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a
priority. It’s necessary.” Mandy Hale
It’s Mental
Health Month, what are you doing to invest in your self-care? The purpose of
May as Mental Health Month is to bring awareness to trauma and “the impact it
can have on physical, emotional and mental well-being of families and
communities (youth.gov).”
Focus on
your well-being by engaging in activities that bring you joy, peace, and relaxation.
Here are 5 Tips for Self-care:
1. Create a list of positive
affirmations.
2. Start a new hobby.
3. Plant a garden.
4. Plan an at home spa day.
5. Catch up with a friend you have
talked to in a while.
These ideas
were adapted from a Mental Health Month Activities calendar.
You deserve to
be happy. Focusing on your mental health doesn’t have to cost you anything, yet
can give you riches – healthy lifestyle, a positive attitude, and joy.
When was the
last time you took a mental health break? A mental health break can be anything
that allows you to relax. It can be a 10-minute break, or a weekend getaway.
Reminiscing on good times can also be a mental break.
My young
adult sons were home over the weekend and took an unplanned trip down memory
lane. It was my fault. I was trying to watch a virtual church service on a big
screen (bigger than my laptop) in a common space – our living room.
As the
pastor began the prayer, my sons began talking loudly to each other and
laughing. I had to shout over them, “Hello, I’m in church AND it’s prayer time.
Can I get a little silence?”
My youngest
son was the first to respond, “I know you’re joking. When we were little, you
used to draw tic-tac-toe grids and slide the paper back and forth to us during
church.”
“I did that
to keep you occupied so I could focus on the church service. If that worked
maybe I need to do it now.”
They looked
at each other and burst out laughing.
After I
glared at my sons, they left the room and took their memories with them. I
continued watching the church service but smiled as I too remembered the things
I had to do to keep them quiet and keep my sanity.
It’s Mental
Health Month, take a mental health break daily. What self-care tips would you
add to the list above?
