Mental Health Minute
Take a minute to learn about your mental health and find ways to help yourself and others navigate through life's daily challenges. Get tips and insight on improving your own mental health and share what you have learned with those around you.
Sleep tips for your family's mental health: Sleep has become a casualty of modern life. If you or your children are excessively sleepy or just don't feel well rested in the morning, what can you do about it? Fortunately, there are many things we can do to improve sleep as individuals, family members, and a community.
Are you in the habit of treating your problems as epic failures? Do you know there is a name for it? Yes, it is called “Stinkin Thinkin.” We all go through challenging times in our lives, and the hypercritical, negative backtalk can become a routine way in which we scold ourselves for not living up to some expected norm. The truth is that all of us fail sometimes, but our failures do not have to define our entire existence. When we fail, it is an opportunity to look at our actions, rewire our thinking and do something about it. Wallowing in our self pity will only give us a temporary out, and then we have to sit up and face reality. Changing our pattern of thinking and behaving is crucial if we want to improve our situation.
During this difficult time, we are all experiencing stress in some form. This stress affects people in different ways. Take a moment to notice and accept your feelings. These are normal reactions to an abnormal situation. It is important to take time to care for our mental health during COVID-19 and other periods of heightened stress.
Choosing to be nice to yourself and others in the present moment, and bringing an open awareness to all moments, whether those moments are pleasant, neutral, or maybe even unpleasant. Bringing to that awareness some curiosity and kindness, instead of judgement and criticism. You may be surprised at what you learn if you are curious and kind.
Learn all about stress and how to manage it. "The greatest weapon against stress is the ability to choose one thought over another" -William James