Hello Gorgeous,

Welcome back to our blog. For this week’s topic, we are going to be talking about
mental health awareness, which happens to be this month.

This topic is super important because there are many people who go through life that suffer from mental illnesses, and don’t seek help, either because of stigma, shame, or due to lack of finances.

To begin, mental health is defined by the World Health Organization as “a state of well- being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”¹

On the other hand, mental illnesses can be bipolar disorders, depression, and anxiety (just to name a few).

Sometimes life can seem like it is just too much, and we just need a second to breathe. Living life day to day can also seem like one big blur and we may not take the time to reflect or take care of ourselves. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a student, a parent, business-owner, etc., life can get busy and we may become overwhelmed with what we have going on.

This is why I believe it is important to take time for ourselves to regroup. I’ve heard people say “Mental health is so important” – and while it sounds like such a simple statement, it’s true. Mental health gives us the ability to think logically and rationally. Mental health allows us to balance our emotions. Mental health sets the standards as to how we want to be treated, as well as setting the boundaries we don’t want crossed.

As a former student, I remember feeling so mentally drained and stressed out. Working and going to school was a lot, and I barely had any time for myself – let alone to hang out with my friends. However, one day I decided that I needed to pay attention to how my body was reacting to the stress and the ways that I could combat it. Long story short. I found out that working out and spending time with my friends helped reduce my stress. I realized that working out made me feel not only better about myself, but I was able to think better too.

Sometimes I have to remind myself that when things aren’t going my way, I still have my health to be thankful for. And when I do have those moments where I feel sad, or any type of anxiety, I stop what I'm doing, and I get a good workout in. Once my workout is over, I'm feeling much better.

While people go through their own experiences, it is important to know how you can help someone going through a hard time, or how you yourself can benefit from some resources.

 You can text “HOME” to 741741 for free – they offer 24/7 crisis counseling.
 Get some fresh air – take a walk or hike
 Check in with your friends or your loved ones

If you need additional health, please call the National
Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.