Living a fulfilled life involves looking after our mental wellbeing. Although this can look different for everyone, there are some common themes, which we can all follow in this endeavour. 1. Take some time to be in the moment Being in the now also known as mindfulness can help with stress, anxiety and depression. Many people have heard of mindfulness, but fewer actually know enough about it to actually practice it, and fewer yet practice it regularly enough to benefit from it. So, where can you start? The first step is to find some mindfulness activities that work for you. Some will find that focusing on different parts of the body at a time works for them, whilst others will find that focusing on their breath works for them. There really isn’t a right or wrong way, so long as … [Read more...] about 4 Mental Wellness Activities To Fit Into Your Daily Routine
Self-care
How to value your mental health
Today we're lookng at 6 key ways in which you can promote mental well-being in your own life. So let's jump right into it. 1. End toxic relationships Scott (2020) defines a toxic relationships as follows: A toxic relationship is one that makes you feel unsupported, misunderstood, demeaned, or attacked. - Scott (2020) The term doesn't apply to just sexual partners, but every other sphere too, whether it's your employer, a family member, a coach, or somebody else. 2. Talk to friends You know the saying "a problem shared is a problem halved"? It's said for a good reason, because sharing a problem allows you to get a different perspective, process your own thoughts, feelings and emotions and sometimes just doing that allows you to reach a conclusion or decision and maybe find the … [Read more...] about How to value your mental health
1 simple thing to do NOW, to sleep better tonight
Are you struggling to fall asleep because your mind is racing with thoughts and worries? You are not alone; many people suffer from insomnia due to overthinking at night. But don't worry, because we have a simple tip that can help you sleep better. What is it? It's keeping a notebook by your bed. Whenever you have a thought that bothers you or distracts you, just grab your notebook and write it down. How much should you write? You don't have to write a lot; just enough to remind yourself of it in the morning. Alternatively, just write enough to help you off-load your thoughts and feelings. How does this help? Writing in a journal can: Help you clear your mind - we have found that often, when people really think about what's keeping them awake, it is because something is on … [Read more...] about 1 simple thing to do NOW, to sleep better tonight
10 anxiety hacks that you can do NOW
According to Mind, 25% of English people will experience some kind of mental health problem each year in England and, in any given week, approximately 16% of English people report having symptoms of common mental health problem, such as depression and anxiety. The National Health Service (NHS) also report 5% of the UK population has Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), a frequently disabling disorder. Anyone living with anxiety, wherever they are in the world, know that the physical and psychological effects can be very significant and debilitating, such as shortness of breath, sleeping issues, headaches, nausea and and even difficulties securing and sustaining employment. Despite the effects of anxiety frequently being debilitating, there are steps you can take to improve your … [Read more...] about 10 anxiety hacks that you can do NOW
2 ways to get in touch with nature
Being outdoors can be good for us; it increases our Vitamin D levels (climate and location allowing), and is well known for reducing our stress levels, but if we're an indoor-dwelling types of personality, where - and how - do we get in touch with nature? In today's post, we suggest 2 ways in which you can get in touch with nature. 1. Involve your senses The '5-4-3-2-1 technique' is well-known in psychology, counselling and mindfulness circles. This technique deliberately gets the person to slow down and take in their environment and is often very effective at grounding even the most anxious person. The process starts by first observing the environment and taking in the surroundings. Next, the person identifies: 5 things they can see in as much detail as possible. 4 things they can … [Read more...] about 2 ways to get in touch with nature
8 ways to improve emotional resilience of children and teens
Personal growth and self-improvement are activities that are traditionally associated with adults. However, children are facing an increased need to tackle these skills in order to achieve increasing demands on them from sectors of society, such as educational establishments. So, how can we help children to be more self-aware, have a well-functioning self-esteem and allow them to have the space and time to...just grow? Place2Be (a children's mental health charity) supports children, families and staff in UK schools, to become more resilient to the stress and anxieties of life. We don't know about you, but it does concern us that we're coming across an increasing number of children and teens who appear to be suffering from stress and anxiety related issues. When we first started … [Read more...] about 8 ways to improve emotional resilience of children and teens
7 ways to manage stress
It feels like every week we learn something new about stress, whether it's the causes or impact, and that's for good reason, because stress is thought to be one of the leading causes of both mental and physical health issues. With symptoms that can pervade every aspect of your life, it can be difficult to know where to start tackling the issue. In today's post, we provide 7 tips to start managing your stress issues. Check in with yourself daily Many of us know about the effects of stress, but fewer people actually recognise stress in our own life. Get in the habit if routinely asking yourself how stressed you feel and ask yourself whether you're suffering from any of the known symptoms and signs of stress. Common signs and symptoms include: Snapping at people Less patience than … [Read more...] about 7 ways to manage stress
