Buffs Recognize Mental Health Awareness Month
May 28, 2021 | Psychological Health & Performance
"Taking care of yourself doesn't mean me first; it means me too." L.R. Knost
We wanted to start with this quote because often the most common form of resistance to taking care of our needs is a fear that we are being selfish. In reality, when we take care of our needs the same way we
would for someone we love, everyone wins.
The focus of Mental Health Awareness Month this week is on selfcare, something we talk about a lot but could also use a refresher on the how to's.
Target Self-Care Areas in Need
• Self-care isn't just a global concept; it can be specific to unique life areas and some maybe in more need than others
o Physical self-care: Am I getting enough sleep? Stretching? Fueling properly?
o Social self-care: Am I nurturing important relationships? Hanging with friends?
o Mental self-care: Am I mentally stimulated? Proactively attending to my needs?
o Emotional self-care: Am I doing things that emotionally recharge me?
o Spiritual self-care: Am I engaging in belief practices that I find fulfilling?
Practice Good Mental Habits
• Avoid Guilt- This tends to be untrue and unproductive. You'll feel more in control and less stress if you allow yourself to feel whatever emotion is present without judgement.
• Notice the Positives- Our minds can overemphasize negatives. Even tiny positive things can have impact on your overall experience. Write one a day to hone this skill!
• Gather Strength from Others- Too often we think we have to solve things on our own. Rely on your resources as a form of self-care and well-being!
Helpful Tips
• Read more here about self-care suggestions and distraction strategies
• Think self-care just looks like bubble baths or massages? (Ok…sometimes for some folks it does). Check out this list of 134 additional self-care ideas to add to your plan!
• Speaking of plan, here is a link for making your own self-care plan. Be intentional about caring for yourself!
We wanted to start with this quote because often the most common form of resistance to taking care of our needs is a fear that we are being selfish. In reality, when we take care of our needs the same way we
would for someone we love, everyone wins.
The focus of Mental Health Awareness Month this week is on selfcare, something we talk about a lot but could also use a refresher on the how to's.
Target Self-Care Areas in Need
• Self-care isn't just a global concept; it can be specific to unique life areas and some maybe in more need than others
o Physical self-care: Am I getting enough sleep? Stretching? Fueling properly?
o Social self-care: Am I nurturing important relationships? Hanging with friends?
o Mental self-care: Am I mentally stimulated? Proactively attending to my needs?
o Emotional self-care: Am I doing things that emotionally recharge me?
o Spiritual self-care: Am I engaging in belief practices that I find fulfilling?
Practice Good Mental Habits
• Avoid Guilt- This tends to be untrue and unproductive. You'll feel more in control and less stress if you allow yourself to feel whatever emotion is present without judgement.
• Notice the Positives- Our minds can overemphasize negatives. Even tiny positive things can have impact on your overall experience. Write one a day to hone this skill!
• Gather Strength from Others- Too often we think we have to solve things on our own. Rely on your resources as a form of self-care and well-being!
Helpful Tips
• Read more here about self-care suggestions and distraction strategies
• Think self-care just looks like bubble baths or massages? (Ok…sometimes for some folks it does). Check out this list of 134 additional self-care ideas to add to your plan!
• Speaking of plan, here is a link for making your own self-care plan. Be intentional about caring for yourself!
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