#I don’t want to feel my emotions either. Yet here we are.
Hello there and welcome to this tiny space where I will walk you through some cool things to think about this Month and perhaps for the rest of your life. But even if it's just for this moment, the information will live (for better or worse…but mostly for better) in your subconscious mind whether you like it or not. *evil smile*.
With the rates of Mental Health Illness increasing to its highest records over the past few years with no help due to the pandemic, it is no surprise that now more than ever people are taking a closer look at the state of their well being and making active changes to enhance their quality of life from the inside out. For some interesting statistics on the rise of Mental illness click here and for statistics by State click me.
What is “Mental Health”? Who has it? When do I have it?
Mental Health is quite literally, the health of your mind. With and without a diagnosis and happy or sad. It umbrellas our psychological, emotional, and social well being and affects 100% of the population - men, women, and animals 24/7, 365 days a year. No paid vacation time and no birthday discounts. Your brain and body are constantly working so hard and it's our job to keep up maintenance.
So, how do we sharpen our Neuroplasticity and Emotional Intelligence? Here are a few simple ways to start…
Show up better for yourself…
Take personal inventory.
How much sleep am I getting? What is my mental and nutritional diet like? How much time am I spending on social media? Am I making my bed? What does my social circle look like and what positive things do we do together? How often am I using substances to enhance or suppress my experience? Who can I call for help? How often am I exercising? Am I learning new things? Am I participating in things that interest me?
Get to know yourself better.
What's your favorite color? How do I make myself feel better? Who makes me feel good? Do I like silk or cotton sheets? How do I make myself feel safe? Who makes me feel safe? What activities do I like? What are my values? Do I even actually like the activities I partake in? What am I doing? Why am I doing it and who am I doing it for?
Are you being Authentic?
Did I say yes when I meant no? Did I hold back how I felt in fear of how the other person might respond? Am I people pleasing? Am I acting happy when I am really sad? Did I say I wanted Chinese when I really wanted Pizza? How often am I putting others before myself? How do I respect myself?
Show up better for your peers…
Ask before you dump your emotions. Ex. “Hey, can you talk for a minute?” “I am trying to work through some difficult experiences… Are you in a space to listen?”
Follow up with people in your circle. If you notice negative behavior changes in them, gently ask them if they are okay or need to talk about anything.
Take out your bad day on others…“OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!!”. Just kidding. We all have bad days and it's important to feel and process what we are experiencing in healthy ways. That being said, try not to emotionally attack innocent people, friends, family, the cashier at the coffee shop as the result of someone else having negatively affected you. It is okay to express to others that you are having an off day and need some space. It is perfectly fine to limit your interactions until you have self regulated and then circle back.
Actively listen and hold space. Oftentimes people just want to feel heard and validated and are not looking for you to solve the problem or fix anything. An example of validation would be “Wow I can imagine how scary, difficult, and challenging the experience you are having is.” NOT “ Wow, you think that's bad wait till I tell you about me, me, me. This one time I…”
Be self aware. Be conscious of your interactions and the impact you have on others. Each living thing is like a rain drop in the ocean, we cause ripples. Be mindful that how someone treats you usually has nothing to actually do with you and how someone shows up in the physical world is often a projection of what is happening with them internally. Remember that you never know what someone is going through no matter how they appear.
In conclusion, the closer we get to understanding ourselves, the better we can show up for others and then show others how to show up for us.
What are some ways you currently practice these concepts? Let us know, we love to hear from you :)