May is here! Spring is starting to show its bloom here in New England. Amidst the raindrops there is the sparkle of flowers, the bees are buzzing around and the hope of sunshine. May brings us hope. May also brings us #Mentalhealthawareness Month. For the past 70 years Mental Health America (MHA) has used the month of May to help combat stigma around mental health. This year they are shedding some much need light on how taking care of our mental health can directly impact our physical health. #4mind4body
Mental Health Awareness is important because we all have mental health. EVERYONE. The person you follow on instagram with the perfectly organized kitchen cabinet, the women in your AM workout class, the clerk at the store, the man on the street, the woman asking for change to feed her children. Everyone.
You do not get to opt out of mental health. You may naturally take care of your needs and you may spend 99% of your time in a state of mental wellness and you still have mental health.
Some people struggle with staying mentally well and some people think they are mentally unwell because they have never felt a certain feeling before or the stage of life they are going through is hardly ever talked about in an open and supportive way. The line can be thin.
Everyday what you do or do not do affects your mental health. Slowing down to enjoy a cup of tea vs eating while standing and packing lunches is going to create two different outcomes on your mental health. Neither outcome may be “good” or “bad”, it is the outcome that matters. Your mental health will change with you as you grow.
Your mental health isn’t going anywhere. You know that saying “wherever you go there you are”? That is your mental health my friend. Always there, even when we do not realize it. So this May choose to speak up. Say that thing you just can’t seem to shake. I bet you find out you are not so alone in your thoughts. OR maybe your friends and family will be thankful that you spoke first. Be the first. Talk to a friend. Outreach a therapist. Make friends with your mental health. Find the hope in May.