Prevailing Still – M. Mays –
May is nationally recognized in the United States as Mental Health Awareness Month, and as important as that is, 31 days isn’t enough.
2022 marks the third consecutive year of a campaign I’ve created and spearheaded entitled May We Prevail.
In recent years, the focus mainly remained on our minds, the quality of our thoughts, and how we process our experiences- referred to as being ‘Mentally Mindful.
An imperative place to begin because it has been said: “all begins and ends in the mind,” but that’s not even the tip of the Mental Health iceberg, nor could it ever properly illustrate the full picture… As I’ve continued to venture deeper into Self-Study, along with pursuing my ongoing education about the world / the way it works (or doesn’t), I’ve come to believe there are many other aspects that are equally as vital, as well as all relate and connect to one another.
One of the most effective ways to pursue adequate tender loving care for ourselves is to strive for our definition of *balanced* (whatever that means; however it feels/looks for us as individuals)
Each person’s process will differ, and nothing works as a definitive answer or one size fits all for all of us; however, some basic concepts can assist in our journey toward optimal health and overall well-being (not the same as being completely cured or free from hardship nor illness)
The quality of our lives will ultimately be what we make of it, and although it’s true there remains much out of our control, seek to reclaim some of your power by contemplating how to find yourself amid these concepts:
Emotionally Mindful –
Consciousness of how we are feeling and why… Back when I was teaching, I’d have buckets in the classroom with popsicle sticks that had the children’s faces glued on– each day and all throughout the day, they could choose which bucket [happy, mad, sad, etc..] they identified with and move their stick accordingly- this not only empowered them to reflect but assisted in their understanding of how things change and flow! It’s surprising that many functioning adults do not possess emotional intelligence, which is not an insult but rather an observation. The good news is that it’s never too late to begin reflecting inwardly and learning more about the inner climate. Not all of us were taught how to do this or even lived in an environment where it was safe to express ourselves in this way, so it’s a valuable point to ponder: that we’re all just bigger versions of our childhood selves.
Spiritually Mindful –
It has been said our beings consist of a mind, body, and Spirit. I refer to my Spirit as the resilience I tap into when life feels as though it is too much. We must take time to participate in things we enjoy that encourage creativity and can help get us out of both our body and mind– such as artwork, writing, and movement – somehow temporarily letting go of judgment and simply existing in a more lighthearted way that cultivates joy.
Physically Mindful –
During my nursing career, I’d go hours on end without checking in on what I needed– food, bathroom break, a couple of moments off the floor to rest my feet, and I justified all of this because of the extent my patients needed me. However, I now understand: that I can only better serve when my needs are taken care of; it can help us get back to basics. Have we taken in enough water? When is the last time we’ve eaten something? How is my body feeling/what could help me feel even the slightest bit better now? We’re only given ONE vessel, and taking steps to do what we can to tend to it is vital.
Culturally Mindful –
Practicing tolerance, open-mindedness, acceptance of the different ways that people do things, and respecting diversity.
Nutritionally Mindful –
We’ve all encountered the saying: “We are what we eat,” and this is literal in regards to what we put into our mouths, thereby what our bodies consist of, but this also includes what we ingest in other ways– environmentally, what we hear/see, watch/listen to, even who we choose to spend our time around because the exchange of energy is genuine and should be taken into consideration.
Intellectually Mindful –
Consider your brain like a garden: weeds are sure to appear, but we’re able to tend to them, and we can choose to pursue education in any meaningful ways, take time to read and expand thought processes by continuing to learn and welcome new challenges for growth.
Author: M.Mays
Publisher: International Pain Foundation, iPain Blog
