May is Mental Health Awareness month and I am SO excited to use this as an opportunity to talk about just how important taking care of ourselves is. As a fulltime momma, wife, business owner, and soon-to-be student, taking time to myself feels nearly impossible. To be quite honest, it took me awhile to learn what my mind and body needed in order to not be too overwhelmed. I have had plenty of days where I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders, and believe me, I still do! That's why I've compiled some great info on how to slow down, check in with yourself, and prioritize yourself on the most impossible days. For me, my self care starts at home.
Your home should be a reflection of your mind. If your mind is in chaos, your home will be in chaos. I've talked about creating systems in your home to ease your living (if you haven't read it yet, you can here) but what about systems for your mental health? I've got you covered.
In an upcoming #tuesdaytips post I talk about using caddies around your home. Caddies can
also be used to store your "Mental Health Kit." Some items you can consider putting in your Mental Health Kit may include:
- Scented candles/ incense
- Your favorite book
- A face mask
- A bath bomb
- Favorite snack
- Anything that helps you feel at ease and encourages you to take a moment to yourself!
Perhaps your Mental Health Kit looks more like a:
- Favorite hobby kit
- Favorite crafting kit
- Gardening kit
- A cleaning kit (okay, this one is definitely for me...)
Perhaps you're that type of person who doesn't have objects that can go in a kit. I find it a lot easier to allocate time to unwind when I'm scheduling it, such as:
- taking a weekly yoga class
- going for morning walks
- no phone's time
- designated phone time!
Whatever it is that relaxes you should be prioritized. For too long people were led to believe that mental health simply wasn't a thing! You were either crazy or not. But now we know so much more about our minds, bodies and the ever-growing spectrum of what Mental Health actually is. Fortunately, we have a plethora of great information, resources, and people for open discussions about experiences, healing, and so much more.
Mental Health Month is an amazing opportunity to open the discussion for how we're feeling. Haven't heard from a friend in awhile? Check in with them. Noticed a family member hasn't been coming around as often? Invite them out to lunch. A small gesture of any kind can mean the world to a lonely person. Let's open up the discussion on Mental Health, because we all go through it!
& most importantly, take care of yourself first.