Sharing Self-Love in Every Interaction

There are no two ways about it: the more you practice self-love, the better you’re able to love others. The healing, peace, and understanding that come with intentional and true self-love will be reflected in empathy, clearer communication, and more meaningful connections in all of your relationships, including friends, family, romantic partners, coworkers, and collaborators.

And while it’s very true that maintaining boundaries is an act of self-love, that doesn’t mean your journey has to be a lonely road. Here are five ways you can include and support others in self-love:

Share resources

Find a blog post you really love? A new favorite guided meditation? Worksheets to help you check-in on your mental health? Share tools like these with friends and family members who are comfortable having a dialogue about mental health. Encourage them to share their perspective if they discover something, too!

Learn more about the importance of checking in with yourself in our recent post, “Stopping for Self-Care.”

Try something new

Experimenting with new self-care practices can sometimes be intimidating, but not with the buddy system! Consider an online Pilates course or booking a private reiki session for just the two of you. 

Have a self-care night

It may sound like a cliche but #SelfCareSunday or #FacialFriday are great ways to connect with members of your support network in a low-pressure environment. Pick out your favorite face mask, hop on Zoom and talk about your week––and don’t forget to really listen, too. Support is a two-way street!

Join a support group

Getting the most out of a support group, whether it’s online or in-person, can be much easier with someone you trust by your side. You can also help each other continue conversations started in support group, and hold each other accountable to attend regularly.

Play brain games, not mind games

Work on a puzzle, play a mentally-stimulating game or make a creative project together to unwind and get social hours without the pressure of a public outing or filling the silence. Stretching your mind in different ways can help you feel more alert and present with your companion. And it’s fun!

Building a support network is an important facet of self-care. Visit us online or follow us on Instagram for more advice toward building your mental health positive community, and maybe meet potential supporters along the way! 

Making Big Moves: How Career Success can be Connected to your Mental Health

Regularly practicing self-care can not only improve your mental health, but in doing so often improves your self-esteem and ability to perform, function, and thrive in other environments, too, including your career!

As you dive into self-love and learn more about what self-care habits keep you at your best, you’ll see improvements in all aspects of your life. At work, you may realize that you’re managing your time better, that you’re more open to embracing challenges and taking risks, and you’re experiencing less fatigue and burnout than in the past.

To keep this self-care momentum growing as you move up the ladder in your career, here are 5 ways to apply self-love in your profession

Participate

Share your thoughts, insights, and reactions whenever they are welcome. You know your abilities and your experience and you know their value! Don’t shortchange yourself or your colleagues by holding back your professional opinion.

Embrace your full story

If you’re looking for a job, embrace your personal qualities as well as your professional skills! Look for an employer that will support you as you pursue all of your goals, in and out of the office.

Share your affirmations with others

Whether you’re in an entry-level position or a leadership role, tell your coworkers when you like their work! Phrases like “your team really looks up to you,” “I’m impressed by how calmly you handled that situation,” or “your work has been awesome lately” go a long way in creating a supportive work environment that you too can benefit from.

Trust

Trust your experience, your training, and yourself! You’ve worked hard to be where you are and you’re prepared to take on the responsibilities that come with your role. Keep this in mind for everyone around you, as well; your colleagues are well-qualified to support your work.

Keep learning

Volunteer for projects that might seem like they’re out of your wheelhouse to gain perspective. Never forget that knowing your weaknesses is a strength!

In all of this, it’s necessary to remember where your career falls in your priorities, and remember to continue putting the most important things, including your mental health, first. If you would like to talk to a counselor about prioritizing your mental health or juggling career or school stress, explore our team’s specialities to find the professional who will be the best fit to meet your needs.

Stopping for Self-Care: How to Identify your Emotional Needs

We hear the phrases “self-love” and “self-care” a lot these days, and it often feels like we’re being told that slapping on a face mask can solve all of our problems. The truth is that self-love is an ongoing process! Much like a relationship with any other person, we each must take the time to get to know ourselves intimately and learn what habits can help us maintain our emotional health, confidence, and peace.

Here are five possible times a day that you can check-in and ask yourself if your mental health needs a little more attention.

First thing in the morning

Whether you simply wake up on the wrong side of the bed or are braced for a stressful day, a negative start to the day can impact your mental health incorporating self care into your morning routine is the perfect way to set the tone for the day. Some habits to try could include meditation, a gratitude journal, or positive affirmations.

Mealtimes

If you find yourself breezing through meals, it’s time for a check in––feeding your body is an act of love! Try turning off your screens and even doing some deep breathing exercises or light stretching before returning to your day’s activities.

Before you say yes

Before agreeing to plans with friends, taking on an additional project, or committing to help a family member over the weekend, take stock of both your schedule AND your mental health! Are you feeling drained and in need of extra rest or alone time this weekend? Do the proposed plans fall appropriately within your relationship boundaries?

When you unplug

When you get home from your work or school commute, or when you finally get to close your laptop after a long day of remote interactions, it can be too easy to turn straight to your phone, the TV, or another habitual activity. Instead, this is another great opportunity to consider a few minutes of meditation, your preferred form of exercise, a creative hobby, or chatting with a friend or family member for some laughs.

Before bed

Congratulations, you’ve now reached the face mask portion of this self-care post! Your nighttime routine is just as important as your morning routine, as these habits signal to your brain and your body that it’s time to wind down and rest. This is the perfect time for all of your favorite relaxation activities! Skin or hair care are Instagram’s go-to, but light reading and journaling about your day are excellent ways to relax, as well.

Here’s a pro tip: this is not the time to break out your planner and schedule your day tomorrow. Focus your attention inward; evaluate your experiences and your emotional responses of today before taking on what awaits tomorrow.

The biggest tip we can give you is to remind you that self-care is about YOU. Experiment with new habits and practices, and cut out the ones that just don’t work for you anymore. Lean in to what makes you feel your best and, when it works, embrace it.

Mental Health 101: A 2021 Forecast for Each Generation

After a year like 2020, we’re all feeling the pressure to go into 2021 with our best foot forward,

and prioritizing our mental health is an important step in that process. While everyone’s life and

needs are unique and require a personalized path to healing, recovery, fulfillment, or success,

our expertise has also shown us patterns in how each generation faces its personal challenges.

Keep reading as we overview the mental health challenges and opportunities that your

generation may meet this year and the practices you can consider to help make 2021 your best

year yet. Think of it as your mental health horoscope.

Gen X:

To those of us in Generation X, it can seem like the world is changing rapidly around us, maybe

even spinning out of our control. This year, it’s going to be important to approach all of your

relationships and endeavors with thoughtful communication. Introducing daily mindfulness

habits, like meditation, can be a great way to get ahead of those spiraling feelings and keep

your focus on what’s important: the people and activities you love.

Millennials:

Millennials are making big changes this year. Whether you’re getting that big promotion, starting

a family, or getting down on one knee, progress is in the air. This year, it’s time to finally put

some serious thought into getting back into counseling or starting counseling with your partner,

as well as work on building a support network who will have your back through the challenges

ahead.

Gen Z:

The first few members of Gen Z are transitioning into adulthood, while the majority of this

generation still finds themself in their teens, tackling high school, college, and all of the stress

that comes along with this future-planning. For this generation, establishing habits of self-love

and self-care, including learning to set and maintain boundaries, are more crucial than ever in

2021.

Like your Generation X counterparts, daily mindfulness practices like journaling and meditation

can help Generation Z stay on top of a challenging schedule or mitigate fluctuating emotions.

These habits can continue to provide release and mindfulness throughout your life, as they will

always grow with you!

Learn more about how WellMinded Counseling’s many different services can help you transform

your 2021 on our website, and follow us on social media for more quick tips and community to

supplement your mental health journey.

3 Ways to Keep Your Mental Health in Check During the Holidays

Stress, depression and anxiety can ruin the holidays - and sabotage your mental health. Met with an assortment of responsibilities from entertaining to gift-purchasing, it’s no surprise that many people struggle with increased emotional distress during the holidays. 

While you may feel these emotions even more this year due to COVID-19, your mental health comes first. Explore our top tips for keeping your mental health top of mind during the holidays:

1. Take control

It’s normal to say “yes” to every holiday invitation, potluck, gift-giving scenario and more. But you have a budget, time and sanity to keep in check. Rather than agreeing to every invitation: be pragmatic. Assess how much budget you want to allocate to the holiday season, including hostess gifts, gift-exchange parties and potluck dinners. Let’s face it: the expenses add it. Don’t feel guilty for saying no to spending too much money. Instead, think of creative ways to give back to various scenarios: provide homemade gifts, donate to a charity in someone’s name, or donate your time (vs. money) to an organization.

Aside from assessing a budget, plan ahead. Set aside specific days to shop, cook, or have personal time. Consider if online shopping or catering may be a feasible option for saving time and energy. Also consider COVID and the health of your family, of course it would be nice to get together, and I know virtual get together are getting exhausting, however there are some resources that have made it more feasible and more fun. Websites such as www.elfster.com allow you to do secret Santa and practice social distancing so you’re keeping your budget and social distancing into account.

2. Stick to healthy habits

While holidays may be the season of over-indulgence, stick to healthy habits that will always make you feel good, such as daily exercise, healthy meals, and plenty of sleep. Try a new healthy routine, such as meditation or journaling, to keep mental health in check. And while news channels and social media are avenues of information, be mindful that too much consumption can wreak havoc on your holiday perspective. After all, not everything in the world is doom and gloom. 

I’d suggest using resources like www.headspace.com as a tool to help you meditate and sleep, as mentioned earlier there needs to be to be time for some movement in your life and on Youtube there is a library of free workout classes, I personally recommend something like Yoga with Adriene www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene .

3.Make time for yourself

This is always challenging since the holiday season is filled with family and friends. And while we always love being with them, it’s important to take time out for yourself and have some alone time. Read a book, journal, exercise, go for a walk, listen to music. Whatever it is - do it alone, without distractions or excessive noise. 

This Holiday season will be feeling different since the time together might look different, AND it's still okay to take space for yourself. If you have emotional reactions that come up, don’t forget you can always reach out for support. Here at WellMinded we want to support you through this unprecedented time.