Make Your Mental Health a Priority in the New Year
Yet, as more people focus on their mental wellness, 29 percent of American adults indicated they’d adopt new year’s resolutions related to their mental health and increase from last year. Some of these resolutions included exercising more, meditating, seeing a therapist, or focusing on spirituality.
On Wednesday, January 18 at noon, The Anti-Stigma Coalition hosts a Facebook Live event titled: Mental Wellness Strategies for the New Year. The discussion is about how to make mental health a priority in 2023.
Panelists include Sawrie Becker, life coach and owner, SBB Life Coaching, Carlette Bradley, learning and development consultant, motivational speaker, and coach, and Jim Mollosky Owner, The Runners Movement.
I actively focus on doing my part to help family and friends to get to a state of being healthy mentally and to remain there. It’s important to me because when I suffered from depression, I didn’t have the help that I needed for a long time, and I also didn’t have the tools necessary to find help. It wasn’t until I received the support and the tools that I was able to reach a healthy state and for that I am forever grateful.
CARLETTE BRADLEY
LIFE COACH
Heading into the new year how are we working on our mental wellness?
On Wednesday, January 18 at noon, The Anti-Stigma Coalition hosts a Facebook Live event titled: Mental Wellness Strategies for the New Year. The discussion is about how to make mental health a priority in 2023. Panelists include Sawrie Becker, life coach and owner, SBB Life Coaching, Carlette Bradley, learning and development consultant, motivational speaker, and coach, and Jim Mollosky Owner, The Runners Movement.
The event is free and open to the public. Karl Shallowhorn, Mental Health Advocates, is the moderator.
Becker says the new year brings new opportunities to improve our mental health and well-being.
“Before you jump into those opportunities, take a moment to reflect on the past year and acknowledge yourself for three things that you did well and feel good about. Looking ahead, consider creating an ‘Intention’ rather than a resolution, for a specific area of your life that you would like to impact, such as career, health, finances, family, or education,” she said.
An intention implies action and acting helps you feel powerful and creates results! Take an action right now and write down three “Intentions” you will focus on in 2023.
According to Elizabeth Hole, LCSW, director of outpatient operations, Horizon Health Services, as a society, we have faced three years of unprecedented difficulty sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus on wellness is more important than ever.
“As a society, we have faced three years of unprecedented difficulty sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus on wellness is more important than ever. Caring for your individual wellness starts with making small changes. Find time each day for focused breathing and quiet meditation. Think of it as a mini vacation for your mind. During this time, pay attention to your breath and allow your thoughts to come and go without judgment. It can be difficult to prioritize this, so consider starting this practice first thing each morning, or when you get into bed at night.”
ELIZABETH HOLE
DIRECTOR OF OUTPATIENT OPERATIONS
HORIZON HEALTH SERVICES
Caring for your individual wellness starts with making small changes. Find time each day for focused breathing and quiet meditation. Think of it as a mini-vacation for your mind.
“During this time, pay attention to your breath and allow your thoughts to come and go without judgment,” Hole said. “It can be difficult to prioritize this, so consider starting this practice first thing each morning, or when you get into bed at night.”
Stigma continues to be a barrier for individuals experiencing mental health challenges.
Carlette Bradley, a panelist for the upcoming Facebook Live, believes there are many reasons that people neglect their mental health.
“It’s been my personal experience and through helping loved ones that some folks still struggle with the stigma attached to mental illness, some just don’t realize that they need help because the signs have been ignored for so long, and a lot of people agonize over the cost of getting help and/or the obvious disparities in their communities,” she said.
As an antidote to stigma, Hole suggests considering sharing your mental health struggles with others. If you aren’t facing mental health challenges, listen to others with an open mind and ask open-ended questions about what you can do to help.
She suggests saying ‘I’ve noticed you’ve been quiet lately. How are you? What can I do to support you?’ It’s also important to normalize seeking professional help and encourage us and those around us to receive support.
Why is it important to focus on your mental health?
Becker says that focusing on our mental health means that we are taking responsibility for the quality and wholeness of our lives. It means we are being proactive in what life brings our way instead of reactive to challenges and difficulties which may help to reduce stress. Focusing on our own mental health also sets an example to others who are important to us about how to live a happy, whole, and stress-free life.
According to Bradley, focusing on our mental health gives space for us to realize that we need help, seek help, and then to get the necessary help. When there is less focus on our mental health, there are more instances of mental health emergencies.
“At the end of the day I believe that there are three main entities that we engage with, and they should all have a mental health focus. That includes church (houses of worship), school, and work,” Bradley said.
She also says more education is needed for family members and caretakers around symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments.