We are all going to find ourselves at different times impacted by the challenges of life that we cannot control. I think we know now more than ever before that we can’t control what happens to us, all we can do is control how we respond.
As humans, of course we are going to feel mentally wobbly at times. That’s normal when life and work is tough.
If you would prefer to watch me talk about this topic, rather than read it, you can do so here:
Recent research by SuperFriend of 10,000+ employees shows that 42% of us have had a mental health issue in the last year. I believe it is much more than that but unfortunately there is still too much stigma around the term ‘mental ill-health’. I bet if I asked, “have you been a little wobbly over the last year”, that that % would be much higher.
So, what is it that you can do if you are feeling mentally wobbly, but you would rather feel mentally wonderful? Well, of course it is completely different for everyone, but there are a few things that can move you along this spectrum.
Patience
Firstly it is the acknowledgment that it takes time. We don’t hit rock bottom overnight. It is more like a slow gas leak. Our body and our brain send us warning signs that we are getting wobbly, but we often ignore those signals. Therefore, we need to be OK that taking small steps will lead us to gradually gettiing back on our feet.
Momentum
I was lucky enough to see Sir John Kirwan speak at a conference and he talks about D.O.T. then D.A.T. – Do One Thing then Do Another Thing. I love this because it helps us not to get overwhelmed with trying to do the full suite of options that are suggested to us. Let’s be honest, when we google about how to deal with our challenges, there are a gazillion ideas but what we need to do is find the one thing that will give us a little momentum that is right for our lives.
Connection
Being connected to what’s important in our lives makes such a difference to our mental health, which is why it’s crucial to connect to the people or things that make us feel good. That might be family, animal activism, spirituality, art, or movement. Or perhaps it is connecting with the people who you know bring a smile to your face and some warmth to your heart. Connection is key when it comes to moving forwards and feeling mentally wonderful.
One of my favourite sayings of all time is, “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me”. Unfortunately our mental health is something that we can’t delegate out to anyone else. All we can do, is take small steps to move along the mental health spectrum so we can get close to feeling mentally wonderful again.
If you would like to have a conversation with me about how we can support the people in your team or association more, please check my online calendar for a time that will suit you. I’d love to hear about the impact you are already having and what we could possibly do to build on this.
