National Mental Health Month: Check In With Yourself
When you’re caught in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it can sometimes be challenging to assess your mental state and well-being. With May being National Mental Health Month, why not take a few minutes to ask yourself the following questions to make sure you’re in a good spot to be your fullest self!
Why is it important to check on your mental health regularly?
You can be even more aware of yourself and your thoughts, helping you identify specific strengths and places to grow
Building healthy habits, thoughts, and behaviors
Increasing your joy and resilience
What are ways to self-assess?
Making sure you are taking care of yourself, you deserve it!
Sometimes stress can manifest itself in many physical ways, including sleeping too much or too little, increased irritability, aches/pains, poor appetite, getting more sick than usual, or even randomly getting acne
Are you keeping a clean and relaxing living environment? Clutter can be distracting and limit your ability to concentrate and focus
Do you have trouble relaxing and making time to do enjoyable things that ease stress?
Reflecting on your thoughts and behaviors
Are you feeling negative thoughts about yourself? Self-love is key!
Try challenging these negative thoughts
Do you often feel overwhelmed and stressed?
Take a few minutes to plan things out, prioritize tasks, and create little wellness breaks in between
Do you find yourself using bad habits to ease stress? This can be anything from over-/under-eating, drinking more alcohol than usual, overspending, making impulsive decisions, and more
If you find yourself falling into these bad habits, think of something constructive you can do in their place. For example, if you find yourself with poor eating habits and eating low-quality food due to stress, you can dedicate a small bit of time each day to cooking a delicious, healthy meal to share with friends and family
Reflecting on your relationships
Are the people you interact with daily bringing you joy? Or do the interactions make you feel frightened and vulnerable
Consider if you are in a toxic relationship with anyone in your life, as these can really hurt your self-esteem and mental well-being
Do you feel a sense of belonging where you are?
Are you active in the communities and social circles you are in? Notice if you see yourself withdrawing from your main support systems
Are you acting according to your values and priorities in life? Are you trying to further your life’s purpose and meaning?
Try to do something good every day and write a journal about your progress!
Are you finding your career fulfilling? Do you dread going to work the next day due to stress?
Try changing your schedule a little bit, setting boundaries between your work and personal life, or maybe even communicating with your manager about what is causing you stress
Try thinking about what aspects of your work you enjoy and appreciate, and engage with your coworkers
Find engaging hobbies outside of work to look forward to
Remember: There’s nothing wrong with turning to a professional for guidance – it is an investment in your wellbeing, function, and happiness! We often say the best time for support is when everything is going well, so you have coping skills when they’re not.
Resources:
https://ppimhs.org/newspost/the-power-of-mindfulness-and-meditation-in-mental-health/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists