Being proactive when it comes mental wellness is important. There are steps we can take to better equip ourselves to handle the highs and lows. But be careful, these aren’t linear steps that if taken in order mental wellness is guaranteed…I have lived too much life to know that is not always the case. But there are things we can do to give ourselves the best chance possible at wellness.
1. Find a Counselor.
I have seen a counselor for years. Some seasons, I see a counselor weekly-some seasons monthly-and some seasons not at all. If you find yourself in a space where you aren’t sleeping well, you are eating like you normally do, you find yourself trying to self-medicate in one form or another-maybe you should check in with a counselor. Instead of waiting for it to get so bad that you feel the bottom dropping out on you, seek wise counsel-ask from help-get resourced so that you can be the healthiest version of you this season. I share a few tips on what steps you can take to find a counselor here:
2. Create a Rhythm
This is the time of year when we can tend to let anything go! Late nights, sweets, treats, parties, activities, you know-holiday hustle! Celebrating is a part of life. And celebrating is something to be embraced. I find when I create a rhythm of rest, exercise, prayer, celebrating with family and friends, solitude, worship, and gratitude, I find myself in a healthy place more times than not. In Chapter 6 of my book, Not Yet, I talk in length about the unforced rhythms of grace. This is a practice that has captured my heart and I am looking forward to spending more time on this with our Goby Community.
3. It’s Not All About You
When I get to an unhealthy place, I turn my focus inward. I begin to see my problems, my issues, my world through my lens. It’s human nature to do that and it is important to guard against that. You see, when we start to slip to unhealthy places, we think it is all about us. One thing we can do to fight that tendency is to help someone else. Maybe you know someone that is struggling this season. Maybe it is a friend, a coworker, one of your kids. One thing you can do to help someone else is by sharing this community with them. At Goby, we believe that helping one another along the way is an important piece of our mental wellness. I encourage you to share this community with someone that needs to hear that they are not alone, that with God’s help-they can do hard things.
Let’s do what we can to swim upstream this holiday season.
Let’s enjoy all the fun that comes with this time of year.
Let’s seek help.
Let’s seek a rhythm.
Let’s help one another along the way.
Swimming upstream with you,
Toby
PS-I would love to hear from you! What rhythms work for you? What steps do you take to maintain mental wellness? How has someone helped you along the way? Let’s us know in the comments below!