Self Care and Mental Health

Since World Mental Health Day is coming up, we figured it would be a great opportunity to talk about self care and mental health. The theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day is “Mental Health is a Universal Human Right,” which we couldn’t agree with more. We believe that so much more needs to be done in this country to recognize the importance of mental health, provide good access to mental health services, and break the stigma surrounding mental health issues. And while those things are often beyond our personal control, we do want to talk about the importance of prioritizing your own mental well-being, something that is within your control. And this often starts with self care.

But if you think this is going to be about bubble baths and dark chocolate, it’s not.

No, let’s talk about some of the self care things that are hard and not always fun. Because if our mental health is truly not in a good place, all the bubble baths in the world are not going to fix that for us. No, what types of self-care can we practice that will reduce our mental load, relieve some of our anxiety, improve our daily outlook, and hopefully make each day a little more manageable? Let’s talk about that.

Stop Procrastinating

Oh boy, you might be saying, what kind of self care is this? Maybe I do want to run away to the bathroom and hide in those bubbles. Well, hear me out (and also, if running away to that bubble bath is just procrastination, don’t do it!). Look around your home or take a peak at that to-do list (whether real or mental) and ask yourself, what have I been putting off? And not just what have I been putting off, but what is something that has been weighing on me and disturbing my own inner peace?

Identify those things and take care of them! Yes, do it today. Is it the pile of old clothes sitting in the garage that you keep meaning to donate? Is it that messy playroom? Is it scheduling the long overdue dentist appointment? Whatever it is, if it is something that is taking up your mental energy with worry and dread or something that is preventing you from having some peace of mind, then take care of it. Stop procrastinating and do it. And then feel your mental load get lighter as that amorphous thing you’ve been dreading floats away.

That is self care.

Be Nice to Yourself Today

This one is maybe harder than it sounds. You probably think, okay sure, I can do that. But I really want you to be nice yourself. This means treat your mental and physical health well. If you have not been taking the time to feed yourself food that makes you feel well-nourished and taken care of, then do it! I love takeout nights just as much as the next mom, but when I don’t prioritize the time to make regular, healthy meals for myself, I start to feel it. Too much junky, processed foods for too long, takes a toll. And when I don’t feel well physically, I also don’t feel well mentally.

So whether I like it or not, self care sometimes looks like meal planning, grocery shopping, and meal prepping. I know, I know, that bubble bath sounds nice right about now. But trust me, you’ll feel better throughout the week if it means dinner every night is not from the drive thru.

And when was the last time you moved your body and felt the sunshine on your face? It’s amazing how much time can be sucked away scrolling through social media (I know this first hand, so no judgment here). But I promise you, if you take 45-60 minutes out of your day to get outside, go for a walk, feel the sunshine, and take some nice deep breathes, your physical and mental health will be better for it.

This is what I meant when I said being nice to yourself sounds easier than it is. Prioritizing time to eat well, move your body, and get fresh air can sometimes feel like hard work. But I promise that you are worth it and your mental health will benefit.

That is self care.

Ask for Help

Okay, here is the hardest one of all. Self care often times means asking for help. And I know this does not come easy for many of us. This can look like asking your partner for more help around the house or spending more time with the kids or taking on some of that mental load that moms seem to automatically shoulder. Take the time to do a mental inventory of where you are really struggling and where you could use the most help.

And then ask for help.

This could also mean asking for help with your mental health. If you’ve read this far and felt like everything mentioned is just too much and you couldn’t possibly begin digging out of the mental hole you find yourself in, then maybe you need more than just a hand around the house. Maybe it’s time to reach out to a provider or to Postpartum Support International or to us, Doulas of Raleigh, to find some resources for you. This could be a support group or a talk therapist or something even a little more intensive. Whatever you need, I promise that help is out there. And I also promise that you are not the only one that feels this way.

That is self care.

Yeah, the REAL self care can be hard. But you are so worth it. So take that time to practice self care and self love today.