Mental Health Tips & My Wellness Journey
Now more than ever, mental health matters. There’s no doubt that the last two years have been extremely difficult for many, and the reality is the pivoting, adapting, switching, and ever changing will continue in the days and months ahead.
So, let me break it down for you. In my part of the world (Toronto, Canada) that first week of January I was all bright-eyed and looking forward to the “new year, same me.” The kids were scheduled for extracurricular activities, I had semi plans with extended family and friends, was going to get in on the hubby and wifey time and of course starting that self-care journey for 2022. No big expectations, right? But, in that first week of January we pivoted to virtual school, work from home, cancellation of kids activities, COVID restrictions, rise in COVID cases blah blah blah blah blah blah. And to add a little sauce to the mix, fast forward a few weeks, mother nature swept in with a snowstorm.
Now, how did I handle this hot mess of a January? Well, I’ve had two years of pandemic practice and have learned a lot about myself through trial and error in my approach to managing anxiety and stress.
Here are a few tips that helped me manage:
- Get Outside – get your body moving and get in on some of that fresh air, even if it’s for 5 – 10 minutes
- Maybe going for a walk is not your thing. Well, hit two birds with one stone by taking the long route to your mailbox, grab your happy mail and take that long route back home
- Take that meeting to the streets. If the meeting doesn’t require you to be working at your desk, get out there. If you work in the office and the meeting isn’t confidential, walk it out with your colleagues. If you’re WFH, take that call and get some fresh air.
- Got kids? My kids are used to me taking them out no matter what season! We’ve got trails, we play eye spy, we take the long routes to the mailbox and depending on the season, we scoot, we bike ride and sometimes skip!
- Positive Affirmations – I’m an optimist and I see that half glass full most of the time. I need the visuals of positive affirmations to help me focus, I’ve got a letterboard which I update once a month.. I’ve got 5 decks of affirmation cards mostly for me, and a few for my kids. Oh, and I also add a positive quote to my email signature. I’ve included links to positive affirmation decks that we use on the regular. So check it out!
- Enamel Pins with a positive image or quote of course! I have quite the collection of pins (80) and they’re the great accessory to add to a jacket, a bag or a letter board. I usually wear my pin(s) on my sleeve and when I need a mood boost, I’ll admire my pin bling! FYI – it’s also a great conversation piece! Lots to select from on Etsy.
- Take Up a Hobby! Through social media, I saw people take on hobbies like cooking, dancing and even woodworking (my hubby!). I had the crazy idea to take up roller skating. Last winter I bought myself some skates and safety gear, pulled a playlist together and watched YouTube videos, practiced in my kitchen and eventually graduated to pavement, tennis courts and the skate park. Elaine from Retro Rollers is someone who will take the time to find you the right skates and accessories.
- Puzzles. I took up puzzling five years ago during winter to get through the January blahs. My kids took an interest and we’ve been puzzling since. I currently have 17 puzzle boxes at home. I’ve included the link to some feel good ones!
- A Support System. I had family and friends as a sounding board, had check ins with my Naturopathic Doctor and I was lucky to to be in a mentorship program with a mentor who provided a safe space for me to talk things out. The early part of 2021 was really hard and having the right people in place helped me focus and align with my values.
I wish you well on your journey! We’re a work in progress.
Sunshine xo
