Mental health is something many people struggle with and they will often keep their feelings and thoughts bottled up and somehow muddle through. But it doesn’t have to be so… there are lots of things you can do to help put yourself back on an even keel.
Start with kindness
Being kind is a big thing at the moment: social media is full of memes reminding us that kindness costs nothing, but gives everything; that in a world where you can be anything, be kind. And protecting mental health has never been more crucially important: the mental and emotional pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to far outlast the physical effects. This is where kindness comes into play.
Kindness can do so many things… it can bring communities together, strengthen relationships, and allow our humanity to shine through. Science shows that kindness is an antidote to loneliness and isolation, it creates a sense of belonging, boosts self-esteem and can help to reduce stress.
Many people are hoping that the restrictions we faced during lockdown will have led us towards a kinder society, as we overcame difficult times together.
And there is a lot of science behind kindness and the impact it has on ourselves and others. Here’s a short clip from the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation explaining all:
And so, we have put together some activities with Mental Health and Kindness in mind, helping you to find peace and calm in tumultuous times.
Music for meditation
This short excerpt of a wonderful ‘drift-away’ session from our lovely local harpist, Julia Mitchell, can help to reduce your stress levels. Find yourself a nice quiet space and have a listen.
If you’d like to listen to the full session, click here.
Julia runs a company called Peaceful Strings, offering harp therapy sessions in the Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire areas. She also performed at our ‘Strictly for Charity’ event and it was such a lovely sound. Click here to find out more about Julia.
A positive attitude can help your mental health
Having a positive attitude can really affect how you deal with your mental health, as this extract from a recent interview with Sophie Hannah shows. Sophie is an author who writes thrillers and runs an author’s help group called ‘Dream Author’.
To have a positive attitude you should try to focus on the good in any given situation. Thinking in this way can have a huge impact on your physical and mental wellbeing. By thinking positively you can help approach your mental health in a more constructive way and work towards getting better. Find out more on this topic here.
Mindful colouring to calm a busy mind
There’s nothing like a spot of peaceful, mindful colouring. We’ve collated a few wonderful colouring pages for everyone in the family to enjoy. A great way to create calm in a busy mind.
