October 7th marks the beginning of mental health awareness week. As someone who has gone through up and downs with my own mental health, mental health awareness weeks reminds me to sit back, reevaluate, and improve my mental health for the better. I have always struggled with anxiety and depression, and as a student it is easy to overwhelmed by school and fall into a black hole of stressing about classes, and not being in the right mental space to do anything about it!
To combat this ruthless cycle, I always try to take some time and direct my awareness towards my mental health. However, if someone tells you to "become aware of your mental state" your response may be "how?!". This can be a different process for everyone, but for me it always begins with meditation. It doesn't have to be a long session - mine was only a minute max. I've found that a simple moment of silence is beneficial for me to really clear my thoughts, and think about how I am really doing emotionally, mentally, and physically.
From there, I make some changes. For instance, today I realized I got far away from my morning routine, I was having a hard time waking up, and all my muscles feel so very tight! Therefore, today I started my day with my morning routine I haven't done in a while. First, I walked my dog. Then, I came inside and took a shot of apple cider vinegar before drinking a cup of water and making breakfast. Instantly, I noticed a change in how good I felt, and how smoothly my morning started to move!
Just that small change, set a whole new course for my morning. I wasn't stressed, running late. I was actually able to eat breakfast! I even signed up for a yoga class later today, which I haven't done in ever! Just taking a moment for yourself, and truly asking yourself how you feel, and what you need to get better, can truly change your mental space for the day. My challenge for you during mental health awareness week is to become more aware of your own mental health! What did you discover?
