Mental Health Action Day
*These reflect my own personal thoughts & experiences and is in no way professional counseling or advice.*
Today calls for people to take action for their mental health along with checking in with others. For today, I thought to share some things that I personally do for my own mental well-being, something that I am still working on, even as a MA counseling grad, there’s still a lot more I can do and learn. For language, I use the phrase “Intentional Time” vs. “Self Care”, for me, the term self care has been overused and tossed around; whereas the phrase “intentional time” makes me feel like I am in control and am intentionally doing these activities vs. someone telling me to take care of myself.
Driving
I love to drive. Anyone who knows me knows that I love to drive, I love to be in the car, and I hate flying or riding passenger. Driving makes me feel like I am in control, listen to the music or podcast that I like, enjoy the breeze that passes by the open window, and appreciate the scenery in the backroads of Hillsboro. It’s where I find the most peace within myself, even in traffic (unless I’m REALLY in a rush to go somewhere), I am able to find peace. If I feel like my emotions are riding me sideways, I just go for a drive…. nothing like a drive at night or in open air and roadway can help ease my mind the way it does.
Medication
I struggled a lot with this at a younger age, I never wanted to be reliant on a medication or allow it to control me. I thought being on medications labeled me “crazy”. As I went to more mental health groups, counseling, and had conversations with psychiatrists; I decided to try anti-depressants 3 years ago when I was diagnosed with severe depression. At first, it really affected me physically where I’d feel nauseous, but my body adjusted. My mind became clearer, and I was able to become more focused on tasks]. Eventually I was able to stop taking it consistently because I mixed in mindfulness practices and counseling. It’s not for everyone, but for me, it really did help clear a lot of things up.
Eating & Cooking
For me, eating just helps. As I learn more about eating habits, I understand it may not be for everyone. I just love food, the taste, the smell, the way people from all over the world can connect through food, and just the process of cooking it. Being in the kitchen, cutting onions and tomatoes, watching the steak fry before flipping, and then whoever is eating it enjoy the food or not. Last year during lockdown is when I found the passion to create. After a long day of clients, going into the kitchen to cook has been my zen.
Mindfulness & Meditation
I’ve talked about this before, but using apps like Headspace, Calm, and Breathe when I wake up, during the day, and before I go to bed has been very helpful in regulating my mood and my breathing. There are many times in the day I find myself holding my breath, but with these breathing and mindfulness exercises, I’m able to catch myself a lot better. Just like the medication, it took a lot of time and practice, intentional will to get into the loop. Even trying it out for one time a week is good practice.
Creatives
Podcasting and conversations, photography and lighting, filmmaking and storytelling…. anything that allows my creative mind to explore and wander (almost like cooking and bartending at home), brings out so much joy. Was there a time in school where you just doodled in class, initially starting off due to boredom, but then creating something you were really proud of? That’s the joy and mental care I get when I’m in my creative mode. Basically breaking out of a normal routine to do something that is opposite of that is something that is mentally freeing. Almost like going to counseling school while working a physical job in retail, it balanced out and was fulfilling for my mental.
These are just a small list of things I enjoy doing throughout the week when I need to decompress from the day. I also try to remove the phrase “I don’t have time” to do this and that, rather replacing it with “this is not a priority to me”. I learned it from a TedTalk. When I use the word “priority”, like intentional time, it helps me feel more in control because I’m able to shift things about mentally. Whereas when I say “I don’t have time” it feels like a cop out, because honestly for the most part, we all have more time to take care of ourselves than we give ourselves credit for. Happy Mental Health Action Day.
