Don’t worry, be happy…
It is National Mental Health Awareness week. I have read loads of articles and seen lots of adverts stressing the importance of mental health awareness. I’m a firm believer that people should talk more, share their problems, get the help they need. However we come from a nation of “stiff upper lip” we don’t talk like we should do, there are so many negative connotations when you hear about mental health conditions. Anyway I’m not going into detail about the various mental health conditions and treatments, and the idea that we can “choose” to be happy.
What I am going to talk about are a few ideas I have for all of us to try, whether suffering from any mental health conditions or not. We need to be kinder to ourselves. Through experience and education I have learnt many useful tools over the years. What works for one person may not work for another, but why not give these a try. When feeling down, try and think of three positive things, write them down, do you have a journal? I write dreams, thoughts and sometimes I rant about things in my journal that annoy me. It often saves me from my emotions surfacing and causing unnecessary trouble.
Read, lose yourself in a different world all together, engage in a style of writing you wouldn’t normally, for example if you normally read romantic fiction, pick up a science fiction book.
Music, as I’ve probably said before in previous columns, is a passion of mine. I listen to a wide range, opera, rock, techno, and of course 80’s music is brilliant for boosting your mood. Singing along can also make you feel good.
Make friends, smile at the lady walking the dog in the park, random acts of kindness, even if just a smile can change someones day.
Ultimately try to think of others, we all get self obsessed at times, it’s modern life, it’s stressful and busy.
None of these suggestions will change your life, but it could be fun trying.