May - mental wellbeing
May - mental wellbeing
We all have physical health and we all have mental health, and each will vary from time to time. It is important that we take care of both to promote our overall wellbeing. Good wellbeing is associated with improved educational attainment, better physical health, a greater ability to deal with life’s problems as well as a reduced risk of developing mental illness.
There are five main areas that are key to promoting and maintaining wellbeing:
- connect
- be active
- take notice
- keep learning
- give
Connect
Connect with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours, at home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstone of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.
Services: youth centres, day centres
Contact:
Be active
Go for a walk or run. Step outside, cycle, play a game, spend time in the garden, go dancing. Exercising makes you feel good. More importantly discover a physical activity you enjoy and that suits your level of mobility and fitness.
Take notice
Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful, remark on the unusual and notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.
Keep learning
Try something new. Sign up for that course, take on a different responsibility at work or fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun.
Give
Do something nice for a friend, or stranger. Thank someone, smile or volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you.