They say the key to life is to constantly embrace our evolving nature. As we move through our individual life journeys, our experience has the power to help us step more into our true self. That can mean owning more of our true feelings, acknowledging our emotions, and allowing them to have space. For decades there has been a stigma around “not feeling okay”. There was a sense of shame that seemed to be associated with feeling depressed, anxious, or just plain sad. Society told us to have a stiff upper lip, put our feelings on a shelf, and push through to a brighter day. Essentially, we were told to “bury” our innate feelings, which was not only unhealthy, but it did not provide any sort of solution. This resulted in many of us taking what may have been a temporary set of feelings and storing them, like energy that had not been dispersed, which compounded them into a lingering set of emotions that were left unresolved and unmanaged. This ultimately sparked our mental health epidemic alongside other contributing factors.

Thankfully, as a society we have arrived at a place where it is okay to acknowledge, you are not okay. We’re also in a period of time where as a global community, mental health is being recognized as a vital condition to give consideration to often. Acknowledging our individuals needs looks different for all of us, and each of us has our own unique way of processing through any challenging emotions. This means it is imperative to have a process in place to check-in with ourselves and ask ourselves honestly, “how am I feeling today?” If the answer is you feel wonderful, that is great news. Conversely, if the answer is that you are not in a great headspace, it is important to take steps to get the help you need (with no shame in doing so) in order for you to process through what your feeling and restore your mental wellbeing.

Here are some empowering next steps to reset your mental wellbeing:

1. Daily Self Check-In: Each day we focus on eating right, being active, nourishing our personal and professional lives, so why would we not take a moment to check-in and make sure we are feeling mentally and emotionally balanced? The key to this step which allows it to be successful is in your willingness to be completely honest. Remember, the face in the mirror knows what you are feeling even if you don’t want to acknowledge it.
2. Reset: Each day we experience is different and each moment is unique. So why should your self-care routine each day be the same? Set aside time to do something that allows you to clear your head, release what you are feeling and move through your emotions. That could mean a walk on the beach, a call with a trusted friend, meditation, a yoga class or a candlelit bath. Choose one or more things that will allow you to reset and start fresh.
3. Reach Out: In the event you feel you need more support than what your immediate situation or circle can provide, find a local mental health affiliate in your area. There is no shame in reaching out to get the help you need.

While May does happen to be Mental Health Awareness Month, mental health is something that is with us year round and requires consideration 365 days a year. Take the opportunity to embrace a mental wellbeing check-in initiative for yourself and share your best practices with others. Together, we can continue to erase the stigma and elevate mental wellbeing for our respective communities.