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Protecting your Mental Health, part 1

Haley Cooke | May, 18, 2022

As we continue with Mental Health Month, I want you to have some quick simple ways to protect your own Mental Health! Today will be the first six quick tips for you to use, check back next week for six more!

Get to sleep – Sleep allows your body to repair, boosts your immune system, and gives you the much-needed energy recharge for a new day. If you are struggling to get sleep, reach out… I would love to share with you some tips or past blogs on this issue.

Exercise – Whether it is Yoga or walking your dog, get your body moving. Make it a goal to move daily, even if it only for 10 minutes. Exercise boosts your mood, is a great stress buster, and is great for the mental/physical health connection. If you are needing accountability with this… our Live Fit Challenge begins in June!

Take time off when you need it – Burnout leads to more stress and anxiety. Don’t be afraid to take time off when you begin to see you are in need. Time off may mean a 15-minute break or half a day off… listen to your body. Recognize it and take action, we cannot pour from an empty cup!

Talk to a professional – Therapy can help you in multiple different ways. Unbiased support and help from a professional can improve any symptoms of depression or anxiety, promote positive self-esteem, support healthy relationships, and heal past traumas.

Meditate – Though it will look different for each person, find 5 minutes a day for yourself. Focus your thoughts on affirmations or sit in silence in order to be present during those minutes.

Set healthy boundaries – Be mindful of taking care of yourself and those you love. Say “no” when you have enough on your plate and be willing to set healthy boundaries in relationships.

Check in on Mental Health, part 2

Haley Cooke | May, 11, 2022

It is a new week for our MENTAL HEALTH focus in MAY! If you have not found all 10 Mindfulness in May activities, continue to move throughout the DIG building or reach out to me to get a map of each location! The map also provides a checklist of the 10 stations so that you can be sure to visit each one during the month of May.

Let’s continue “checking in” on ourselves with three more ways to self assess what is going on with our Mental Health. The first 3 can be found here on the blog from last week.

4. Check in on your habits and behaviors.

Are the things you do or the way you act lining up with your personal goals? Your values? The priorities you have in your life? If you are striving to reach a big goal, do the activities you participate in hinder or help you? Are your daily decisions pulling you away from reaching smaller milestones? Are you walking what you are talking? Do you always have an excuse? Is your routine off? Do you have new behaviors in your life? Are these helpful or hurtful?

5. Evaluate your physical health.

Poor physical health can lead to poor mental health, and poor mental health can lead to poor physical health. Like I mentioned last week, these two areas are connected. Are you feeling “good” on a day-to-day basis or are you low in energy? Are you eating well? Are you eating healthy options? How is your digestion? When was the last time you went in for a yearly checkup? Eye exam? Dental visit? Are you neglecting a nagging health concern? Have you noticed a change in your skin, more frequent headaches, or sudden loss of sleep?

6. Think about your spiritual life.

Are you connected to a faith-based family? Are you surrounded by loved ones who pray for you, pray over you, and pray with you? How is your personal prayer life? Are you spending time in silence listening? Are you pushing anything to the side that keeps coming up? When was the last time you served with an organization or helped someone? Do you have hard faith based questions you want answered? Are you actively seeking growth in your personal walk?

Check back next week for ways to protect our Mental Health. If you need anything – please reach out to me.

Check in on your Mental Health, part 1

Haley Cooke | May, 4, 2022

Did you know MAY is Mental Health month!? This month not only are we promoting mentally de-stressing activities, but we are also going to focus our blogs on Mental Health! If you missed the announcement about Mindfulness in May and the 10 activities that are around the DIG building…. reach out to me to get your map of each location!

So… let’s check in on your Mental Health! Our bodies and our minds are connected. This means our mental health and physical health impact one another. To kick off this blog series, let’s start with the first three ways we can ” check in”.

1. Check in on your relationships.

What do your relationships currently look like… Is there tension? Does there need to be some sort of resolve? Are your relationships encouraging you to enjoy life? Are you avoiding people or situations you generally would not avoid? Are you in the process of making new friends? Are you spending more time alone than you usually do? Are you giving the most important people in your life the attention that they need? When was the last time you went out with friends for an event? Are you filling others cups up? Is your cup being filled? Do you hide from co-workers or actively engage with them? Are you sharing your life with people or feeling disconnected?

2. Pay attention to your mood.

How would you grade yourself when it comes to your average daily mood? What about your average weekly mood? Do you find your mood changes drastically in certain situations or relationships? How long has your mood been impacted? Are you able to specify certain events, activities, meetings, etc that cause you to change your mood? Is your mood how you want it to be? What can you do to shift your mood when you feel the negativity coming on? Are you open to close friends pointing out to you when you have a change in your mood?

3. Think through your thought life.

Are you focused on the positive or the negative? Are you waiting for others to approve of you or finding confidence in your own thoughts? Do you have thoughts of the future or are you stuck in the today? Do your thoughts provoke happiness or anger? Do you find yourself daydreaming or focused? Have your friends tried to “pick you up” lately. When was the last time you said thank you or shared your blessings with someone? What are you thinking about now?

Check back next week for part two of the blog. If you need anything – please reach out to me.