Mental Health Awareness Week

It’s Monday again, welcome to a new week. It’s a special one this week, as it’s Mental Health Awareness Week; a chance for us to check in with ourselves and others about mental health and wellbeing. In the current climate, this is more topical than ever, but I suspect in the current climate it is more likely than ever to get overlooked. My tip would be, don’t overlook it. With all the imposed change we have had hoisted upon us over the last few months, and the uncertainty and lack of control that we have experienced, not only in our work environments but also at home, this week is a great reminder to check in with your own and your staff’s mental health.

Mental Health is a huge topic, so why not focus on one or 2 key feelings. This week I am changing our F- Word webinar to focus on “feelings” and personally I am focusing on stress and kindness. Both of which seem to be in abundance at the moment. Mental health isn’t bad, it just is. We all have it, and it is as important as our physical health to keep well, but we have to look after it. That is why I have chosen both a more positive and more negative “feeling” to focus on. I am lucky enough to know Julian Hall from Calm People. He has years’ of experience developing emotional resilience, which is something we could all do with a dose of in these current strange times. He has a fascinating and clear way of explaining feelings to us, and I am pleased to say he is joining me this week as a guest speaker on my F-Word webinar series at 9.30am on Thursday. We will be dealing with the so called 5 Pillars of stress and exploring your own relationship with stress and how you can help yourself and others. Click here to book your slot.

I happen to think that kindness is overlooked. It has received a lot of media publicity recently, but it’s the little acts that mean so much. To yourself, to your loves ones, to members of your own community and even to strangers, we have all been touched by the seemingly meaningless act of another than means so much to us. Today, I challenge you to do 3 acts of kindness – one to yourself, one to a loved one and one to someone in your community. That may mean, a bath and a good book for you, sending a card to your Dad saying you are thinking of him and a call to your elderly neighbour to check in on her. Whatever you can think of, do it. Then, note it down. If you are like me, you will find this such a heart-warming process you will reap the benefits to your own meant health, creating a virtuous circle. Go on, give it a go!