A Dance with Awareness on this Mental Health Monday

I adore alliteration. I also am a passionate proponent of mental health.

So, it’s no surprise that one of my favorite elements of my day job is creating our #mentalhealthmonday posts on social media. It’s a great way to start the week, finding a quote that will speak to our community, adding what the words mean to me, and encouraging our students, faculty and staff to reach out to the Counseling Center for support. 

The goal is that the post will reach someone and help them realize that they’re not alone. 

Finding the quotes helps get my week started too. They speak to my heart and put into perspective whatever it is I may be feeling inside. 

Because, although I’d like to say that having a positive mindset is effortless for me, that I don’t fear the unknown, that I’m unflappable in the face of adversity, that I’m cool, calm and collected all the time, the truth is, I work hard at staying positive. It is a journey that I take daily, to transmute the anxiety I’ve known since I was a little girl into a force for good. Every morning, I wake up and try my damn best to choose to live in the light instead of getting pulled into the darkness.

Some days are easier than others; some weeks, I feel aligned, at one with my higher self. Other weeks, I feel like the world is crashing down around me. But with each moment that I choose hope over worry, love over fear, trust over disbelief, the easier it is to separate myself from the negative thoughts and painful emotions. 

Through my years of therapy and the copious amounts of self-help books and videos I’ve consumed, the piece of advice that I am constantly coming back to is to stay in the present. Whenever I feel the familiar knot of anxiety in my solar plexus or recognize a stream of negative thoughts, I know that I’ve drifted from the present moment, and it’s time to re-center and reassess my emotions. The sooner I do that, the easier it is for me to feel like myself again.

That was a long-winded explanation to say, if you struggle with your mental health, you are far from alone; there are tools to help you through and someone is always there to help. Whether that be finding a counselor in your area, seeking help via telehealth or finding your new favorite self-help guru via YouTube, you don’t have to suffer in silence.

The light is always there, goodness can always be found, and love and hope are abundant. 

Have a great week!