Top 10 Tips for Mental Health Awareness Month

Be kind and compassionate to yourself and others.

You are not alone; 1 in 5 adults living in the U.S. has a mental health condition.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and if you are living with mental health challenges, I want you to know that you are not alone. I've had the privilege of coaching, teaching, and facilitating wellness sessions over the past four years, and I can say that I don't know anyone who has not been affected by mental health challenges in some way. 

If this is you, you are not alone. 1 in 5 adults living in the U.S. has a mental health condition, and those numbers have continued to rise over the past few years.

Did you know ...

• Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S.; 48 million living with anxiety

• 21 million living with major depression

• Millions live with post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia.

• World Health Organization has recognized burnout as a disease;  2/3 of full-time workers deal with burnout.

• Chronic periods of stress and anxiety negatively impact the immune system. 

The good news is that there are things that we can each do to take better care of ourselves, build resilience, and feel empowered to take control of our health.  

Ten things to support your mental health

1. Be kind and compassionate to yourself and others.

   We are often more unkind to ourselves than to others. Our inner dialogue can be ruthless and damaging. Practice self-awareness of your words, and choose a different, kinder thought in the moment. Also, give others grace and compassion because we do not know what they may be going through. 

   2. Get professional help 

   Seek out a mental health practitioner. Many organizations now offer these services to their employees. Take advantage of available resources or seek a referral from someone you trust.

   3. Get some sunshine to boost your mood. 

   There is a reason we feel better when we're outside. When we get proper sunlight, our bodies produce vitamin D and release more serotonin, boosting our mood and helping both anxiety and depression.  

   4. Try to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night.

   Sleeping 7 -9 hours is ideal for us, and sleep and mental health are closely tied together. When we sleep, our body rests and recovers. When we do not get enough sleep, especially REM sleep, the brain doesn't correctly consolidate positive emotional content, which is tied to mental health disorders and their severity. Sleep is now understood as both a cause and consequence of mental health problems. 

   5. Surround yourself with loving people you can talk to.

   We all need a tribe of loving and supporting people to talk to and share our concerns, especially when they're tied to our health. So seek out friends, family, or professionals to talk to. 

   6. Eat well and take care of your gut health.

   The gut is sometimes referred to as our second brain, and our gut and brain are linked through the vagus nerve, which sends signals to and from the brain. It's incredible, but the gut can influence emotional behavior in the brain, and the brain can impact the bacteria in the gut. Therefore, nourishing ourselves by eating whole foods, especially fruits, and vegetables, those rich in omega-3 fatty acids, dark leafy green vegetables, nuts, beans, and lentils, helps to boost our mental health. Also, investing in a good probiotic is essential for gut health. 

   7. Start a gratitude practice.

   Did you know that studies have shown that those who practice gratitude are happier, less stressed, less anxious, and less depressed? I love doing gratitude as part of my morning routine and in the evening before I sleep. When we acknowledge our blessings, we focus our energy on what we have, not what we lack. So try it; you may love it!

   8. Move your body daily. 

   Research shows that people who exercise regularly have lower mental illness rates and better overall mental and emotional well-being. Exercise helps release endorphins that boost our mood, help us sleep better, provide more energy, improve our confidence, and reduce stress.

   9. Reduce stress - yoga, meditation, tai chi, and breathwork.

   I can't say enough about mindfulness practices. They align our mind, body, breath, and spirit. Each of these modalities has been shown to reduce stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Mindfulness also trains our brains to be present in the moment and shrinks our amygdala, allowing us to be less reactive. 

   10. Get your blood tested to address deficiencies and get supplement recommendations.

   Several vitamins have been shown to support good brain health. However, asking your primary for a full panel test can reveal deficiencies in vitamins such as Vitamin D, B vitamins, and Folate, which are linked to mental health disorders.  

   Resources: 

• https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help

• https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/mental-health-resources

• https://nami.org/Home

• https://www.amenclinics.com

Focus on what you can control - your perspective and mindset matter!

Focus on what you can control!

There were circumstances that we could not control, and the story is incomplete without sharing how we approached what was within our control. And, that made all of the difference.

Perspective and mindset are so important. This weekend I was so grateful for my regular meditation, gratitude, and mindfulness practice. It helped me get through a crazy trip with unexpected challenges. 

My college friends and I flew to Florida for our annual trip.  Every October or November we travel somewhere warm for 3-4 days to connect, relax, re-set, and enjoy each other’s company.  Every year we’ve been blessed with beautiful weather, great accommodations, and what we wanted and expected - until now. 

This year, we’ve decided this trip was memorable because much of it was the opposite of what we expected. 

• My flight in on Thursday was rough and bumpy as we headed into a storm going into Tampa airport, then back out of the storm heading back north when we were told we couldn’t land.  My flight was then diverted to Orlando to wait until Tampa airport was re-opened after the hurricane warning was lifted.

• My friends from Chicago were diverted to Ft. Myers airport, further into the storm, and had to de-plane for several hours.  Needless to say when we arrived we were all hungry, exhausted, and disappointed at losing an entire day.  

• Friday we were excited to start our day. We started with a brisk walk on the beach eating sand that was flying into our faces the entire time.  We were looking forward to sitting by the pool, but the pool was closed due to 45 miles per/hour winds.  We walked from hotel to hotel trying to buy day passes for any pool that happened to be open with no luck.

• When our hotel pool was finally open, we found a 30 feet square of sunshine and moved 5 chairs to that area hoping to warm up.  The rains started in less than 2 hours and we were inside for the rest of the afternoon.

These were all circumstances that we could not control, and the story is incomplete without sharing what we focused on that was within our control.  And, that made all of the difference.

• Thursday night we went to our hotel restaurant and had a delicious meal, sampled great foods, kept the cocktails coming, and laughed for hours.  We toasted with some champagne to our 30+ year friendship, and kept the conversations going in our suite until we were ready for bed.

• Friday when the rain kept us inside, we huddled together and watched TV, ate snacks, and got ready for dinner.  We celebrated our friend Lisa’s 50th birthday by opening gifts in our room, gifting her with a tiara and sash to wear, and walking in the rain to dinner.  At dinner we shared food, talked about our bucket lists, next chapters, and where we wanted to vacation next year.  

• Saturday turned out to be a sunny day where we went for a long walk exploring the island, ate a leisurely breakfast, sat by the pool, enjoyed some beach time, and walked to a local restaurant to watch the OSU game.  That night we stayed up late and laughed about the inconveniences of the past few days.  

• I left last on Sunday, which is never as fun as being the first to arrive.  My direct flight turned into a travel day of 11 hours for me.  Instead of getting worked up, or complaining, I meditated, read, ate by myself, journaled, reflected on my trip, watched a TV show on my phone, and accepted my circumstances as they were.  

The most vivid memories are those that are sometimes challenging, not according to our plan, and that sometimes make us crazy.  Of all of our trips, this will be the most memorable, not because of where we ate, or places we visited, but because together we dealt with every challenge with laughter, optimism, and gratitude.  

Yes, and ...

Yes, and …

We don’t need to be, or do, only one thing. We can build a whole life doing all/many of the things that are interesting to us.

I’ve noticed that many of us think that life decisions need to be binary. We have placed handcuffs on ourselves and then agonize trying to make the “right” decision. Yet, you have full permission to try something new.  You may either love it or decide that it’s not for you. Either result is a win. 

The area where this is prevalent is around our careers. In our minds, we have to either stay in our current roles or quit and do something different. Or, we have to work for someone else or start our own business. Or, we stay here, and we can go there on some imaginary future date. So, who made up these rules? 

I love to remind my coaching clients that we don’t need to be, or do, only one thing. We can build a whole life doing all/many exciting things. The first step is to follow the energy and passion. 

If there’s an idea that you’ve been thinking about, take the first step and explore that option. Then, do the research, and then take action. 

• If you want to teach a course while you’re still working full time, contact a local university.

• If you’d like to work at Starbucks because you love coffee and miss talking to people, fill out an application.

• If you want to open an Etsy shop and sell things you create, do that.

• If you love to cook and may be interested in exploring it as a career later in life, sign up for a cooking class.

• If you want to sign-up for yoga teacher training while working full-time at a bank, do that.

That last example was me. I signed up for yoga teacher training two years before leaving my job and starting my own business. Why? I wasn’t sure at the time. All I knew was that I wanted to follow my desire to learn more. I had a hunch that the dots would connect in the future somehow. And, they have. 

Here are a few other reminders:

• You have permission to try new things.

• There is no perfect time to try something new.

• Trying something and deciding you don’t like it isn’t a failure; it’s information.

• We all have 24 hours in the day, and if it’s essential, you’ll make time for it.

• We don’t have to have it all figured out to take action. Just start.

What’s the worst that can happen?

• You may meet some cool new people you wouldn’t ordinarily meet.

• You may find a newfound zest for life.

• You may increase your skills.

• You may find a passion that you want to explore further.

• You may find yourself proud that you took a chance on something new.

Remember, tomorrow is not promised, but we do have today.