I saw this article the other day and it covers many of the things we’ve been talking about here over the last few weeks and months. It’s about what is referred to as the wellness industry, which is a bit of a vague term, but it encompasses all of the wellness rituals and products that…
I’ll admit it, if you asked me where online you could educate yourself about Mental Health and self-care, LinkedIn Learning and Coursera wouldn’t have been at the top of my mind. Thankfully, the Make Use Of website knows better. They’ve shared some recommendations on courses you can take online:
We know where the story goes from there, but if you have kids who spend any time online, you may want to give it a read and dig deeper into some of the linked resources they’ve created for parents. There’s some good information about what to look for and how to teach kids to be more aware.
Don’t just assume this won’t happen to your kid.
This is where the community comes in. Kids with strong connections to safe adults are less likely to be targeted and more likely to tell if they are. LGBTQ kids are less likely to struggle with suicidal ideation when they have adults who accept them as they are. Kids dealing with anxiety and depression have better outcomes when they have safe adults to talk through their emotions with, who can support them through difficult times. I’ve discussed at length the importance of strong relationships with parents as the best preventive measure we have for keeping children safe and supported. I’ve also discussed, on my other site, the importance of work-life balance and inclusivity in the workplace for parents. That’s what being a community that supports families’ needs to succeed includes.
In Louisiana, we are headed into the heart of Mardi Gras season. This is the time to do things just for fun. It might be tradition or about being connected to your krewe, but it’s mostly about fun. Life is too short not to make some time for having fun. With all the negative things out there, it might be imperative that we find that time in our current world. Without it, we are all fairly miserable. We can take a break from “all of this” and have fun. It’s what makes putting up with the rest of it worthwhile.
We do need each other. There is no replacement for the support of another human being, regardless of what that support might look like. Just not being left alone with our struggles is a source of support.
This then brings Ben to another important point. Imagine if we all had a modicum of education about mental health and could not only show up for each other but show up with some educated actions to take.
