Similar Posts
Sharing – How giving to others can boost mental and physical health
Obviously, today, you’ll hear a lot about fundraising efforts, and that’s fine. However, that’s only one way to give of yourself. Even small acts of kindness can positively affect our mental health and boost our outlooks. So, if you’re struggling right now, feeling out of sorts with the world, etc., do something nice. Volunteer your time, give money, or notice someone who could use a small act of kindness and provide it.Â
Sharing – Are you okay? The power of storytelling in mental health
As I mentioned, in the workplace this is true. Very few people are going to feel safe talking about their own struggles if the leaders in the company never open up about their own at some level. But, it’s also true in our relationships as well.
How many of us wish the people in our lives, spouses, kids, siblings, friends and loved ones, would feel comfortable talking to us about their struggles, yet we never share our own? How would they know that you are a safe person to talk to if you appear to never have any struggles?
Let me give you a prime example from my own life. As many of you know, I worked from home before the pandemic started, and continued to do so all the way through 2020. It had very little impact beyond some lack of socializing, on my life, and so when I compared that to what many others were going through in 2020, I didn’t really want to complain about the things I was struggling with. Most people I did talk to, didn’t really talk about their own struggles either. Finally, however, when I wrote a post about not being OK right now, and shared it across my social media profiles, including LinkedIn, I got notes and messages from a ton of people, some who I haven’t even been in touch with in awhile, telling me about their struggles as well.
I attribute that to two things. One, I know a lot of amazing people who see someone struggling and immediately set out to make sure I knew I wasn’t alone, and two, by sharing my own difficulties, I also provided them a safe place to share their own struggles.
Isn’t that what it’s really all about?
So, what are you struggling with that you have been hiding? What good is hiding doing for you?
Asking for Help Can Create Connection – So Does the Thank You
We’ve talked a lot about the importance of connection when it comes to mental health. Being connected to others is a great tool in suicide prevention, and we see study after study reporting on the negative effects of loneliness. One great way to create a connection among your friends is to ask for help when you need it. People, generally, like to help. The little bit of vulnerability it takes to ask for help can create a huge improvement in the connection between two people.
Unless, of course, you don’t bother to acknowledge the help with a thank you.
Sharing – Shower Meditation: Wash Away Your Stress and Anxiety
So, maybe Steven’s suggestion to start with a shower meditation might work for some of you who struggle like me. I’m going to try it, assuming I remember to actually do it instead of rushing to get finished and on to the next thing!
How do you incorporate mindfulness or meditation into your daily activities? Does it help you?
Shared Links (weekly) Oct. 15, 2023
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How to Protect Your Mental Health From Stressful News Cycles
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Mental Health Myths and Facts: Dispelling Common Misconceptions
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The Raw Emotions: Expressing Mental Health Struggles Through Art
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Importance of Early Intervention in Mental Health: Do Early Interventions Really Make A Difference?
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Writing about mental health with sensitivity in SFFH– I appreciate the Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror writers talking about the issue, especially the real research into links between mental health and violence.
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Living in Survival Mode
Maybe, instead of blaming people for overreacting, we should consider for a moment why they do not feel safe. And instead of beating ourselves up for overreacting, we consider how to ground ourselves and remind ourselves of our safety when the need arises.
As survivors, our healing depends on our ability to create a life where we feel safe. That means both being in a safe place and learning to recognize that safety to get out of this constant survival mode. That mode is not sustainable. It was never meant to be a constant state of being.
