You might have heard it that yesterday was the World Mental Health Day.
I'm so pleased that every year this topic becomes easier to talk about, that we're learning to let go of the shame that often comes with it, that we're raising awareness to how many people struggle with their mental health or will struggle with it at some points in their lives. And last but not least, that we're learning better tools to be there for ourselves and our loved ones in need.
There are no one-off fixes or quick solutions when it comes to mental health and it's not something to be taken for granted. Just as we need good quality sleep every night to feel rested, or daily nourishing meals to have energy, or regular physical exercise to keep the body strong and healthy, mental health plays a huge part in our overall well-being and is something to keep an eye on throughout our lives.
A common characteristic of a lot of mental health challenges - when you start turning against yourself - is the stories it tells you:
Something is wrong with you and you shouldn't feel the way you feel
No one else struggles this way and you should deal with it alone
I am no stranger to mental health issues and challenges, from insomnia to crippling anxiety and panic attacks, and I know too well how much worse I made it for myself by keeping it in and trying to deal with it all by myself.
If what I'm writing is resonating with you and your experience, I'm sending you the biggest hug and a strong but gentle nudge to open up about it. To someone you trust, a friend, a partner, a parent, a therapist. Don't keep it in, where it only grows bigger in the shadows of the mind.
Join me for our Community Class this week, where we will first move through a feel-good yoga flow and then settle into stillness with a Mindfulness Meditation. Come to meet your mind as it is, welcoming all its thoughts and worries with acceptance and self-compassion. It's when we learn to resist what's difficult a little less, that we stop amplifying or making it worse for ourselves. Come to hold and create space for yourself 🧡
Here's the recording of the practice if it comes in handy.
For urgent help:
- Download the Stay Alive App
- Go to your local A&E Department (open 24 hours a day)
- Call the Samaritans on 116 123 (free and open 24 hours a day)
Help is available and you are never alone ❤️