How is your brain at the moment? How are you feeling?
We feel a bit conflicted when it comes to these global days focusing on one issue. Because we love the spread of awareness and think the intent is utterly wonderful, but the flipside is people only get talking about the issues for one day.
If you have been around here for a while you will know that we bloody love looking after our mental health. We love talking about it, we love doing it and we love hearing about you all doing it too. If you have a brain, you have mental health and you have to look after it ALL THE TIME. Not for one day out of the year. So, although one day doesn’t cut it, it does open up the door for some great conversation. Let’s shine that spotlight on our brains today (and everyday day) and share some top tips for looking after our brains!!!
Don’t wait for Rock bottom
Don’t wait for when you are so low you can’t get up. We don’t believe in waiting for rock bottom before taking action. We know it’s wonderfully dramatic to wait for that hard rock floor to hit you on the arse as you come crashing down, not helped by that being glamorised by movies, books and TV. The trope where the main character hits rock bottom and finally sees that they need to take action and do the stuff they need to do in order to look after themselves. This is damaging and we say, no more!
Meditate
It can get a bad rap and feel a bit intense. BUT. There are tons of research into mediation and its positive impact on our wellbeing, read this article by Mindful- 10 Things We Know About the Science of Meditation. It’s like training for you brain and can help increase your skills with dealing with things like stress. You just have to find what works for you. It might be using one of the very well know apps like Headspace or Calm (feel free to hit us up for advertising guys ;)) but there are plenty of free meditations on YouTube. Or just setting a timer on your phone and choosing to sit and bring your attention back to the breath every time it wonders. Basically, it doesn’t have to be some 6 hours of meditation at the top of a mountain for it to count or have an impact.
Write
This one may not work for everyone, but it will work for some. Getting those thoughts out on paper is like pulling the plug out of the bath. Let it out. It can help you to process the feelings you are feeling or an event that has happened. Even doing 5 mins a day of journaling can shift things around up there.
There are also things like gratitude journals, in which you think of 5 things a day you are grateful for and write them down, maybe worth a go.
Talk
Same as above but with talking! Find a pal, a professional, a family member or even the dog and talk it out.
See Humans
Introvert or not, we are social creatures and we do need human interaction. If you are feeling very low, that might just be going to the shop and choosing the human check out rather than the self-service or getting a coffee and speaking to the barista. It can be small, it can be big! But we do need some level of interaction. And no, hanging out with your houseplants all day doesn’t count(but they are good listeners).
Look at or be in nature
So two options if you are struggling to get out of the house, stick on planet earth , or frozen planet. Let the sight of nature come through your TV screen and David Attenbourgh soothe your soul. If you are feeling a little more daring. HEAD OUTSIDE! Breathe the air, see the trees and enjoy what mother nature has for you.
Move that fine body
Yes, that body you have right there. Walk, run, swim, skip dance. Outside, inside. It does not matter.
Get help
Sometimes we don’t have the skills we need in order to do the things we want to in life. When that happens, we ask for help. Exact same applies for your mental health. Help is out there, and recovery is possible. It can be scary to ask and look for help but it’s the best thing you can do for yourself. It shows courage and love for yourself and for others around you. If you need help finding a counsellor, you can go through the BACP register of counsellors and therapists (UK based) here. If you need to talk to someone or need urgent help now, there are some useful links below:
Understand that you are human and feeling stuff is what humans do
It can’t be helped and it’s not always comfortable but that is the human experience. We can definitely learn skills to help us understand those feelings better and gain a deeper understanding of ourselves.
