World Mental Health Day – My Go-To Tips

October 10th is recognized as World Mental Health Day and the objective is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to find ways to make mental health & overall well-being a priority.

Maybe you’re thinking I’m good, I practice what I preach and I’ll carry on and do my thing. Or maybe, this day can be used as an opportunity to talk to someone who is struggling or can’t seem to get out of that funk. And if today marks the day that you want to move in the direction of making mental health a priority, take your time and figure out what works well for you.

In a previous post, I wrote about my Wellness Journey and some activities that gave me that mental boost and helped me through some challenging times. It wasn’t always easy and there came a time when I actually had to ask for help. Read my story Mental Health – The Real Reason for my Leave of Absence Request. Today I’m keeping it simple and sharing my go-to mental health tips for whenever I need to clear my head in the moment or if I know I’m approaching a busy period, I’ll schedule time.

GET OUT AND GET MOVING … GET OUT AND CLEAR YOUR HEAD … GET OUT TO READ AND RELAX – getting the body moving helps relieve stress, releases endorphins, it allows us to take a break when we feel challenged, gives us a chance to reset and it helps manage our emotions.

GET MOVING – I took up roller skating in January 2021 and started off in my kitchen with a playlist and YouTube tutorials. After a few weeks, I worked up the courage and made my way to a tennis court in the freezing cold and skated. It was scary and exhilarating at the same time. Although it was cold, I felt happy and the music gave me that extra boost. My confidence grew and I improved my skating techniques. I was in Detroit this past summer and brought my skates to Monroe Street Midway which had a roller rink. My son Brandon took an interest and since then he’s been roller skating.

CLEAR YOUR HEAD – for me, working full time, raising kids, writing a third book and creating content is like having multiple tabs open in my head. And while I’ve gotten used to managing all the things, I make the conscious effort to close all tabs on a daily to clear my head. I have scheduled time in my calendar over lunch to disconnect and that could be going for a walk outside or even walking through the warehouse at work. Clearing my head doesn’t necessarily mean silence. To me it means those tabs remain closed and I welcome other interactions like listening to a playlist, talking to colleagues or doing breathing techniques. For someone who’s a busy body, it takes alot of effort to shut it down. The last few months, on weekend mornings I head down to the lake with a coffee in hand to enjoy the peace. On the rare occasion, I’ll have my sidekicks who are up early and want to tag along.

READ AND RELAX – there is something about reading outdoors that is just so good for the soul. I had the best spring and summer either reading by the lake, lying on a picnic blanket or under an umbrella at the beach. And this fall, you’ll find me lounging in the hammock with a book and blanket all comfy cozy. I believe that when you schedule reading time, you’re scheduling me time, even if it’s only for a few minutes a day. Reading always improves my mental health and I give myself a window of 5 to 30 minutes a day. Yes, even 5 minutes of reading to get that quick escape makes a difference. And while I love the alone time, having my sidekicks next to me reading or gaming is nice.

BOOK RECOMMENDATION – I’ve come a long way since 2021 when I took a Leave of Absence after going through a mentally draining year working in a toxic environment. Minda Harts’ Right Within – How to Deal With Racial Trauma In the Workplace helped me tremendously and with that help, I am currently working on some amazing projects. Can’t wait to share more with you!

On that note, remember that your mental health is important. Take that time to focus on you.

“World Mental Health Day will always remind us that mental health must not be ignored but always must handled with care” – unknown

Yours in health (mentally, physically and emotionally),

Shine Lily xoxo