How are you taking care of your mental health?

By Marisa Geitner

There’s no denying that our frame of mind and mental health have been just as at risk as our physical health in this past year. Mental health needs the same attention and focus as our physical health, and some say even more. How are you taking care of your mental health?

What if we could focus on what is available to us? What if we could have a mindset of growth and progress? As we think bigger, we gain a perspective that reminds us that we are part of a very dynamic community.

How might we condition ourselves every day to see what we do have, instead of what we think we lack? How do we release ourselves from the burden of comparison to others? What we have and what we need are unique to us, and comparison only distracts us. We can condition ourselves to recognize right away when we are carrying shame, guilt, anger or resentment. Shifting that load enhances our ability to feel happiness and joy.

I’d like to suggest some tips that might make a difference, now and down the road.

Be attentive to change, rather than letting it consume all of your energy resisting it. Anticipating change often consumes more of us than navigating the actual change itself. Stay in the present! Don’t waste precious emotional space reworking the past or anticipating the future.

As you start your day, open yourself to welcoming positivity. Allow yourself a moment for a deep breath and a strong and steady step forward. It’ll benefit not only you but all those who will see positivity and confidence within you. It’s OK to exercise abundant faith in yourself and the world around you. We can only dream as big as our own faith in the future.

What would it be like to open ourselves up to our full potential? We are learning and growing beings. It’s OK to feel insufficient in the moment — as long as we believe that we are learning and growing — and tomorrow our lifelong toolkit will have a new tool. Spend time each day focusing on what is working for you. Move past the things that aren’t working. Drive change rather than just anticipating it.

Let go of what you don’t yet know. Lean in to the richness of all you do know. Lean in to the world around you. Hold space within you for peace and positivity.

You are never walking this journey alone. In addition to friends, family, mentors and sponsors at Heritage Christian, you have access to success coaches. They are always available to support you through change. You can reach Chanel Terrell by emailing chanel.terrell@successcoach-roc.org or by texting or calling (585) 944-4975. Marcus Elliott can be reached by emailing marcus.elliott@successcoach-roc.org or by texting or calling (585) 313-7049.