Build Your Mental Health Toolkit
OCT 02, 2024Think of a mental health toolkit as a collection of strategies you can access whenever you need them. It’s about equipping yourself to handle challenges in a healthy way.
Read MoreMindfulness is such a buzz phrase lately. I wanted to take some time exploring mindfulness and how it can be beneficial to all of us. Psychology Today defines mindfulness as, “a state of active, open attention on the present. When you're mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience.”
My first lesson in mindfulness came in one of my very first yoga classes. At the beginning of class when we were all seated on our mats the instructor said, “Instead of worrying about getting here, let’s just be here”. I suddenly noticed how my mind was still in this rush that it usually is. Most times our minds are in the past or focused on the future. Rarely do we not multitask, our world is set up for multitasking. Even when concentrating on one task we are making plans in our head and focused on the next thing: groceries, errands, kids’ activities, dinner etc. Mindfulness is rooted in Buddhism but very relevant in everyday life.
According to Greater Good in Action at the University of California Berkeley, studies have shown that practicing mindfulness, even for just a few weeks, can bring a variety of physical, psychological, and social benefits. Here are some of these benefits, which extend across many different settings.
This sounds great in theory but I’m sure you’re asking how this can be incorporated into everyday life.
1.) Start with noticing the present.
2.) Take an inventory of your senses and what you notice.
3.) Breathe and focus on the present task at hand, whatever it may be.
The great thing about mindfulness is that it can be practiced everywhere and at all times. It takes practice but becomes easier. If practiced during calm times it will be easier to implement in times of stress. In the beginning if not able to calm your mind then concentrate on slowing your breath and focus on saying “breathe in, breathe out” with your breathing rhythm. Mindfulness slows down our reactions and allows us to notice how we feel before we react.
Let’s stop rushing through life and start taking time to notice it.
Think of a mental health toolkit as a collection of strategies you can access whenever you need them. It’s about equipping yourself to handle challenges in a healthy way.
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Read MoreWhen you need local health information from a trusted source, turn to the CHI Health Better You eNewsletter.