May - Mental Health Awareness Month
With so much happening in the last year, many of us are very much aware of the toll the the stress of the pandemic, job and housing changes, and overall lifestyle adjustments have taken on our mental and physical health.
With May serving as Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s a good time to set some practices into place that can help alleviate stress and better manage your mental and emotional wellness.
Here are a few gentle ways to manage stress and mental wellness:
Remember that it’s okay to feel and to react. Change is inevitable, but that doesn’t mean it affects you any less. Know that you may not have control over changes around you, but you do have the ability to choose how you respond, how you react physically, and what choices you make for yourself. Still, reactions like tears, laughter, discomfort and others are natural and valid. Navigating the hard times, makes it easier to appreciate the great ones.
Stay gracious and recognize abundance. Gratitude is an instant mood-booster. Remembering the non-permanence of life - knowing that good and bad come and go in cycles - is an instant reset. The things we are thankful for are a reminder of good times, even when it’s cloudy. Keep it simple - list 4 things you are grateful for. Close your eyes and visualize each one. Or even take a pen and journal and write them out.
Create space. Space in your body and space in your mind. It’s easy to let things jumble up in your mind, let tasks feel daunting, be bogged by mental clutter. Stretching and movement are a beautiful way to make space in the body. Opening space in the mind can come in several forms: meditation, mindfulness, sitting still, being in nature, finding quiet time.
Don’t overly complicate your meditation or movement practice. Some days you have 100% to give, and sometimes only 10%. Meet yourself where you are and don’t sweat the off days. Movement is fun, it’s healthy and most importantly, it’s something that you do for YOURSELF. Never lose sight of the fact that your self care is important and productive.
Starting a yoga, movement or meditation practice is also a great way to unblock energy, increase endorphins and surround yourself with positive vibes. Get started with a mood-boosting class today!