Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from 9th – 15 May 2022 and Solent Mind being one of our charity sponsors this year, we thought we would share our thoughts on how we can invest in our mental wealth.

Mental health is our responsibility, we need to invest in ourselves to ensure that we have a bank of mindset resources to draw on when the need arises.

How do we start paying into our investment in well-being?

Connect – Social relationships, feeling close to and feeling valued by others contribute to wellbeing.

  • Phone or talk to someone instead of sending an email
  • Listen to people
  • Put time aside to find out how someone is – ask twice if they are okay and have time available to spend with them.

Activity – Physical activities can lower depression and anxiety

  • Go for a walk at lunchtime – meet up with a friend
  • Incorporate stretching into your morning routine
  • Organise a sporting activity for charity

Learn – Engaging in work or educational activities and setting goals increase levels of wellbeing

  • Sign up for a class
  • Read a book
  • Carry out research

Take notice

Be aware of the moment and your environment

  • Practice mindfulness
  • Take notice of how your colleagues are feeling
  • Visit new places

Give

Participate in social and community life

  • Help others
  • Join a Community Association
  • Volunteer in a charity shop

If we start investing our time into the actions above, we will be mentally healthy, a perfect foundation for a higher level of wellbeing.   This will help us to cope with the curveballs that we may experience:

  • Loneliness
  • Bereavement
  • Trauma
  • Discrimination
  • Anxiety
  • Depression

As loneliness is the theme for Mental Health Week, we wanted to share what we can do to look after ourselves.

Loneliness means different things to different people.  You could be alone and very happy or you could be surrounded by friends and family and feel lonely.  Everyone’s experience is different.

Here are a few tips to help with loneliness:

  • Talk to someone – share your thoughts.
  • Take it slow – you don’t need to rush anything.
  • Join a community club.
  • Make new connections – join a class or volunteer.

For more information on how to manage loneliness visit Mind

We can enrich our mental wealth through the following actions:

Mental Wealth enables us to manage the contents of our minds.  If we invest in our well-being before challenges arise, we will be equipping ourselves with the strength, resilience, and courage to look after ourselves and the people around us.

Don’t delay in looking after your mind and body to maintain your mental wealth. 

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Kirstin Brooks

Business Support Manager