World Mental Health Day!

Happy World Mental Health Day! I hope you all are taking time to care for yourselves. Since you are here reading, I believe its safe to say you are at least making an attempt to do just that. Today is an opportunity to begin new habits, try new things and see what works for you.

Here are 10 ways on 10/10 you can take care of your mental health today.

Take a walk

Shocking! I know. Take a walk is overdone but walking is one of the best ways to clear your mind. Im not one for doing things in a simple way so I will challenge you to stimulate your brain during this walk. Step 1: leave your phone at home or turn it off. I know some of us use a walk as a way to feel less bad about our screen time but this is important. This walk is about clearing you mind. A lot of the time when we intentionally remove distractions, our brain goes into fight or flight. It is confused by the lack of stimulation that is coming in. When we are so go,go,go our thoughts don’t even have a chance to be stored or let go. They are all just scrambling inside with no where to go. Thoughts need somewhere to go! Take a walk and be intentional. No phone, no music no stimulating variables just roam. See where your mind goes naturally and dive into it.

Journal or record a voice memo for yourself

The idea remains the same. Intentionally put your thoughts somewhere. Write yourself a play by play of the day. Record a voice memo like its your own podcast. Pretend your on the phone with someone you really want to talk to. Whatever works just put your thoughts somewhere that is chosen by you. Our thoughts sometimes take over our mind without us wanting them there. I’ve started doing this recently and journaling never worked for me so I recommend giving it a shot.

Turn your phone off

Another cliche one I know but its important. Our screens (which youre using to read this so I guess you haven’t shut your phone off yet) cause us so much outside anxiety that we do not need to take on every second of every day. These tiny machines hold all of who we are all the time. We are all adicted to this synthetic version of reality that sometimes makes us compare more than we would like to. I am not saying ditch it forever. I am asking you to try and see how it goes. Maybe it helps and moving forward we add some screen time or limits to some apps that cause us that funny feeling that we don’t always want around.

Get involved in an organization that aligns with your values

Giving back to others is one of the easiest ways to indirectly give back to yourself. You may not realize initially that the things you are putting out into the universe are also helping you. Make a promise to yourself to research organizations that align with you. I got involved with Strong Girls United when I was a freshman in college and now I am working my first “big girl” job with them.

Write a letter to yourself

It may seem silly but it is so rewarding when a year from now you read that Dear Me dated back 365 days. You feel like that was forever ago and the point you’re at in the present reading that letter seemed like it would never come. What I mean by this is, this is just a moment. A moment that is mushed together with a million other moments. Take the moment. Feel that feelings. Reflect. Move forward. You will feel the weight of the moment fade away before you know it.

Watch your favorite movie

I will never forget the day my dad told me “I want you to turn everything off and go watch Harry Potter” after a really long week, a bad test and a bad practice. Harry Potter is one of my favorite series of all time and has remained in first place since I was little. Life was changing and my interests changed a bunch but that number one spot remained Harry Potter. Sit in that feeling of nostalgia and enjoy the 2 hour block in your 24 hours of your day to feed younger you.

Read a book

I know not everyone is a reader but I thinks its because you haven’t found the type of reading you like yet. I swore I didn’t like reading either but then I found books I got hooked on. Even articles. Anything to stimulate your brain with information you are choosing to put into your mind. Thats the key. Don’t let the thoughts fill your brain, fill your brain with thoughts.

Phone a friend

Sometimes life gets too busy and we forget to call people we love. Use 10 minutes today to call someone you love and just let them know you’re thinking of them. This may open new doors to fun conversations and learning new things about someone you care about that you wouldn’t know without the intentional outreach.

Catch up on sleep

Sleep is SO important for your body and mind to function. Sleeping is often overlooked because of the responsibilities that our day brings. It is important to know that if you are not getting enough sleep, you cant perform at 100%. Start with the controllable so that you can show up in other aspects of your life.

Treat yourself!

Go buy that overpriced coffee or take yourself out on that solo date. You deserve a treat and take this alone time to celebrate something good that has happened recently. I guarantee there is one thing worth celebrating. Sometimes it takes a little more effort to find the good but there is good in every day. Today my Starbucks cup had “have a great day, Nicolette :)” on it!

I will leave this read with this. I am so happy you’re here and I hope this World Mental Health Day is well spent for you. Try new things, reach out to people, get outside and check in with yourself. You are loved and seen.

XO - Nicolette