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You are here: Home / Uncategorized / five ways to honor mental health awareness month

five ways to honor mental health awareness month

May 13, 2022      5 Comments

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and as the days pass, I realize i need to spend a little more time honoring my own emotional state.

Everything is fine (everything is always fine), but a lot is spiraling in my world: from big things I can’t change, to little things I also can’t change. Sometimes, I have to take a breath and honor those feelings in order to work toward my best self.

Spend Time With Yourself

Spending time alone can be intimidating, but it’s also so critical. Still your mind. Free yourself from distractions. Give yourself space and opportunity to engage your thoughts. I find I am in a much better place after some quiet alone time.

Treat Yourself To Something Amazing

When you need to pay special attention to your mental health, do something to boost your mood. I did some silly things this month, like going to a Nicolas Cage movie with friends all in matching Nic Cage shirts. We also glammed up for a local Mom Prom, and danced all night. It was amazing how badly I needed those things, and how much they improved my outlook.

Adjust Your Lifestyle

When things aren’t working, it’s time to make changes. I find that adjusting my lifestyle can have a positive effect on my mood and mental health. Get more veggies and water. Add in some workouts. Cut back on alcohol or caffeine. Work on small, sustainable changes that you can maintain in order to improve your mood and wellbeing.

Tweak Your Sleep Habits

Good sleep is critical to mental health awareness. As an insomniac with anxiety, I can attest that sleep can make or break my emotional state. I do my best to set myself up for success at bedtime, to improve my chances of better days head. This involves turning in at a reasonable hour, giving up screens about 39 minutes before I head to bed, reading, and using my Cani-Sleep oral spray (use code RUNSWITHPUGS25 to save).

Go To Therapy

I know there’s still a huge stigma about going to therapy, but believe me when I say it’s awesome. Yes, it’s hard, and it takes work, but ii is also so freeing. You will never regret it.

How do you honor your mental health?

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Comments

  1. Shathiso says

    May 13, 2022 at 8:33 am

    This is a great post Jenn. For the last month or so, I’ve been feeling a bit off. There have been huge changes at work but I sometimes find myself struggling with the small things as well – procrastinating, instead of just getting things done. Running really helps but I need to adjust a lot of other things as well – starting with getting to bed on time, reducing screen time, and doing something for myself – like my nails or a massage or a facial.

    Reply
  2. Jenny says

    May 13, 2022 at 12:22 pm

    All these tips are great. Adjusting your lifestyle is a huge one, because somehow when you’re struggling mentally you somehow want to do all the things that make it worse- eat poorly, drink more, and move less. Getting enough sleep is so important too (boy, you’re specific- you get off screens 39 minutes before bedtime?) I think there’s less and less stigma around therapy these days, which is a great thing. overall a great post!

    Reply
  3. Deborah Brooks says

    May 13, 2022 at 12:30 pm

    I am all for more sleep it makes a huge difference. For me, giving myself some grace and letting go of what I think things should be and just enjoy what is have been things I am working on

    Reply
  4. Chocolaterunsjudy says

    May 14, 2022 at 9:25 pm

    39 minutes before bed? That seems like such an exact number (but still a great idea).

    You can’t pour from an empty cup. I applaud how you make time for yourself when you have so many relying on you!
    Chocolaterunsjudy recently posted…5 Tips to Choose a Running TourMy Profile

    Reply
  5. Michelle says

    May 14, 2022 at 11:22 pm

    All such important points! For me, I find that time by myself to unplug and recharge really helps, along with upping my sleep game.

    Reply

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Welcome to Runs With Pugs. My name is Jenn and this is the story of my love affair with running and finding myself through fitness. From C25K to marathon, from triathlon to SUP, from broken leg to the recovery journey... I'm sharing it all. I'm a wife and mother of one, living in NE Florida, in love with travel, adventure, and food. Oh. We have pugs and a hedgehog, too. Thank you for joining us! We're glad to have you along for the ride!
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