Spring is here! Flowers are growing, the weather is changing, and it’s time for spring cleaning. Here’s the catch . . . I’m not here to chat about cleaning closets and reorganizing shelves. I’m here to chat about mental spring cleaning. That’s right: mental spring cleaning.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it is important that as wives, mothers, and professionals, we take the time to mind our minds and get mentally healthy. Luckily, you have a clinical counselor here (me me me!) to give you some tips for mental spring cleaning.
What is Mental Health?
Mental health includes all things that affect your thoughts and well-being from a mental perspective. Mental health is important because it drives us to do things or not do things. It has everything to do with our feelings and emotions. Everyone is affected by mental health, and everyone is different when it comes to mental health.
Tip 1: Mental spring clean by practicing brain dumping.
Brain dumping is one of my favorite things to do, and I suggest it to my clients, too. It is literally dumping EVERYTHING out of your brain onto a piece of paper. It is a great way to see what is on your mind. Once you dump everything out, take a day or two then go back and reflect on everything you wrote down. You can then prioritize what is important and what can be put off until later.
Tip 2: Mental spring clean by practicing self care.
Self care is not selfish! You have to take care of you. Falling into different roles on a daily basis will cause you to lose sight of you. Self care should be as regular as taking a bath or shower (actually that can be considered self care), or more complex like taking a vacation with people you love. Self care also includes things like reading books, disconnecting from social media, and drinking water. Case in point: self care is all about what you want to do in order to refuel, recharge, and replenish yourself.
Tip 3: Mental spring clean by seeing a mental health professional if you need to or think you need to.
Mental health professionals are there to help you process feelings and work on making your life better for you. They are there for support and encouragement as you go through ups and downs in everyday life. Seeking the help of a mental health professional is a great decision.
Just like we spring clean our physical lives, we must spring clean mentally, too. I hope these suggestions help get you on a path to a healthier spring!
