LET’S PACK YOUR MENTAL FITNESS KITBAG!
To be human means having moments in our lives where things go wrong, life feels tough, and everything can feel like a struggle - this is unavoidable!
There have been several turbulent times in my life, and I’m sure yours too. The big question is - how do we pick ourselves back up?
Mental Health and Coping
The Link Between Mental Health and Resilience
How we cope will depend on our mental health, and the state of our mental health will affect how we cope. It is possible to experience good mental health, but at times, we can face mental health challenges. The latter can develop into mental illness in the absence of early intervention. Regardless of gender, ethnicity, status, or role, NOBODY has immunity from this.
As an occupational therapist in the NHS, I helped people whose mental health challenges had become a mental illness. When they shared their stories with me, I remember thinking - this story could have been different if only they had the resources in their kitbag to help them dig deep, find a way through, and rise stronger.
THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY INTERVENTION
Mental health research (NICE guidelines) points to early intervention when a problem first emerges and tells us that mental health prevention (mental fitness) relies on hope, personal responsibility, self-advocacy, education, and support.
My experience, skills, and knowledge, combined with a passion to help people avoid mental illness, was my inspiration to become a mental fitness coach. In this role, I’ve walked side by side with hundreds of people who faced challenges, empowering them to create a healthier mindset and boost their resilience no matter what comes their way. I call this prehabilitation.
My mission is to reach as many people as possible and help their mental health journey become an ADVENTURE.
THE MENTAL FITNESS KITBAG
My best hopes... That you will commit to working on your Mental Fitness - if you have a pulse, you need it! Don’t wait for the "pants on fire" moments to work out how to take care of yourself. Take action - The time is now!
HOW TO PACK YOUR KITBAG…
Each of these stages is an important step in packing your own Mental Fitness Kitbag:
Tell your story
Regardless of experience, it is possible to create a powerful story about who you are, and what you bring to the world.
Your Mission: Write a statement about yourself that could help you live life lighter if you believed it. Read it out and keep it visible
plan your journey
On life's journey, it is possible to stop, anchor yourself in the here and now, and review your position at any moment in time. This time to reflect helps us seek clarity and focus on the journey we want to take next.
Your Mission: Imagine where you want to be this time next year (if anything were possible). Write to yourself about what life will look like (try FutureMe.org)
Nurture your wellbeing
Looking after your wellbeing through simple helpful habits will strengthen your immune system and boost your zest for life.
Meditation? Early nights? Good nutrition? Time outdoors? Exercise?
Your Mission: Commit to 1 simple act of self-care for the next week. Alternatively, create a soothing box.
Manage your mindset
Your mindset is a powerful muscle that can be strengthened to enable you to live life lighter, see more opportunities, and achieve success. It is possible to 'try on' a mindset that strengthens an optimistic view to help you become solution-focused.
Your Mission: Start each day by creating a statement that could help your day feel easier if you believed it. End each day with 3 positive things or magic moments of the day to recharge your positive mental attitude.
Build your resilience
Resilience is not a personality trait. It describes qualities and behaviours of people who, when faced with a challenge, flex and find a way through. This can be learned and is easier to achieve when life is settled instead of during adversity.
Your Mission: Learn to recognise when your resilience reserves are low, learn how to top them up, and clarify what support looks like when your traffic lights are RED. Commit to 3 things that keep your traffic lights on green.
Take your actions
Life roles and goals define the actions you take to get the results you want. Goals that seem too big can easily lead to procrastination. Conversely, without a meaningful challenge plans can deplete your motivation to achieve. Projects that combine a meaningful stretch and match our capabilities help us thrive. This is known as the 'just right' challenge.
Your Mission: Get clear on your comfortable stretch goal and write down 3 high-impact actions to focus you to take succeed.
Celebrate your success
Success comes in all forms, from your biggest breakthroughs to your smallest wins, all of equal value. Success leaves clues. Recognising and celebrating success and becoming your own cheerleader boosts motivation and determination.
Your Mission: Create a certificate of success, a celebration board, or a box of awesome. Pick an achievement that you created and are most proud of and record it in this place. Take time out each month to recognising and celebrate your success.
Rally your team
Having people in your life who appreciate you and influence you positively strengthens mental fitness. Whether they bring positivity, a new perspective, grounding, scaffolding, or mischief, keep them close.
Your Mission: Stay curious about the people who help you celebrate your strengths, achievements, and competencies. Remember you can hire, fire and retire team members at any time! Strengthen positive connections to boost your potential for mental fitness.
Embrace your adventure
Research shows that having adventures creates physical, emotional, and psychological benefits. Adventure can mean something different to each of us... experiencing something unusual, and exciting, learning something new, being creative, doing something fun, and turning something ordinary into an adventure - what excites you?
Your Mission: Decide what adventure means to you! Create an adventure jar filled with experiences that would bring a smile to your face. Commit to making time this week for one of your adventure ideas. Choose something that can be done easily for a quick win or if you feel brave, choose something that scares you!!
