I’m sharing the article below because I agree with Marianna about the fact that we all have some tools that we can use to build up our mental health, and we don’t really talk about them enough.<\/p>\n
“Stress occurs when an individual appraises the internal or external demands of the environment as exceeding his or her resources. The COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed insurmountable stress on countless lives across the world. By drawing upon our individual psychological resources with more intention, we can ease the tremendous strain that the past year has left on our collective mental health.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
I’d go read the whole article. She reminds us of the positive mental health activities that we could take advantage of, things like self-compassion, connecting with other people in positive ways, focusing on positive emotions etc.<\/p>\n
None of these things is going to “fix” the stress and anxiety we are all feeling, but they can build up the resources we need to face it and go forward. Developing these skills is an important part of dealing with difficulties, and for survivors, they are also an important part of healing. The more strength you have in these areas, the better prepared you are to heal and move forward.<\/p>\n
We often talk about the cup analogy, not being able to pour from an empty cup, but this article gives you really concrete ways to make sure your cup has something in it.<\/p>\n