It's easy to get lost inside our own heads and to not be as kind to ourselves as we would be to others and it's useful to have tools to help you unwind, even distract when the buzzing from the outside world gets too much.
This week is MentalHealthAwarenessWeek and as much as many of us now have a greater understanding and awareness of mental health issues it's still important not to stop the conversation.
The last couple of years have been strange ones and as the world is opening back up again and people are getting busy, it's easy just to slip back into old habits and forget the slowing down and gentler pace we were forced into.
I've been feeling stressed and unusually worried and normally I am good at sorting myself out, but this week with heightened anxiety, I've been forced to actively look for ways to help me help myself.
So I thought I'd share what I've found and whats helping:
Step away and take a break, even for 5 minutes, then try to go back to what you were doing.
Breathe - Slow down and focus on your breathing till you feel calmer.
Get some fresh air, go for a walk and be grateful for the nature that surrounds you.
Talk to friends.
Go wild Sea dipping - I got back to this this week and it instantly cleared my head and made me feel better.
Get lost in a book
I was surprised that distraction was a regular on all the self help lists I read when looking for ways to make me feel better. I always thought you needed to just deal with and face up to things so telling myself that it's ok to find a minute of calm and just switch off and distract myself has been very useful.
And books are are great way for me to do that, whether turning the physical pages or just lying down and listening on audible.
This month's book The Lost Storyteller explores mental health and feeling lost too. It's a beautiful story that twists fairytales and real life together, so perfect for getting lost in when you need some time thats just for you. Lot's of loveliness in the box too that is sure to make you smile. Boxes are packed and ready to go, so if you haven't ordered one yet, go treat yourself, you really do deserve it.