February 2019
February Mental Challenge
Last month we challenged you to set some SMART goals and track your progress, celebrating those small successes and achievements along the way. Another important step that we often neglect when working towards our goals is taking time to recharge ourselves through self-care. Self-care is something people talk about all the time but often have difficulty implementing. We often confuse self-care with avoidance or procrastinating, and sometimes feel like we're being too indulgent or taking things easy by taking a self-care break. This could not be further from the truth, self-care is not about giving into guilty pleasures or finding an excuse to be lazy. It's about your wellness and ensuring that your are being balanced so you do not burn out before reaching your goals. This month we are challenging our readers to implement one self-care practice and to try their best to be consistent with that self-care practice. It can be anything from going for a walk, to taking a nap, to going to your favorite coffee shop. Aim for an activity that is not triggering for you, and be mindful throughout to ensure that you are not numbing out. Remember this is about your wellness and not about simply distracting yourself from your emotions. Let us know how it goes and any challenges that may have come up for you while trying to implement this new practice!
February Mental Health Tip
February is the time that it seems like the whole world is focused on finding a romantic partner or being with their romantic partner. This can make it a difficult time for individuals who are single due to a break-up or a death or any other reason. It can also make it difficult for individuals who are in a relationship that is not healthy. So what can you do to cope with this time of year if you are not with the person you wish you were with.
There are a few things that we would suggest.
The first is to look at what you can be grateful for in your life. Take stock of the friends that you have, your family, your job, your health, how far you have come in the past year or anything else that you are grateful for. Recognize that if you are single or in a relationship that is not going the way you wish it would there may be other areas of your life that are going well.
Secondly consider what you like about yourself and treat yourself to something special. This could mean going out for a nice meal, getting a spa treatment, going to an event that you have always wanted to attend or spending time doing something that you are passionate about. February has been made out to be about loving others but there is nothing to say that you can not show yourself some love. If you are in a relationship it is possible that your partner may not get you what you want. That does not mean that you can not treat yourself.
Thirdly plan a day with friends or family to celebrate Valentines day. There is nothing to say that Valentines can only be about romantic love. Often times getting together with friends and celebrating can help us appreciate what we do have. So gather up your friends for a nice dinner or a spa day or something else that you will enjoy.
Lastly if you are single and wish that you were in a relationship consider putting yourself out there. Online dating seems to have taken over and a lot of people find themselves becoming frustrated with it. This February consider meeting someone in person. Going up to someone that you find interesting or attractive. Maybe asking out that friend or neighbor and seeing what they say. This can take a lot of courage and it may or may not work out. You will never know for sure unless you take a chance.