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Happy Mental Health Awareness Month! Taking care of our Mental Health is extremely important for our growth and happiness. However, for a lot of us, the idea of focusing on our mental health is scary. There can be so much stigma around mental health conditions that many of us would rather not face it at all. However, approaching your mental health doesn't have to be a negative or scary experience. That is why I brought mental health coach and owner of Locall Motion LLC, Heidi Garborg-Mueller, on The Stress Less Show to talk about how we can shift our perspective on Mental Health and view it much more positively.
Heidi's personal Journey with mental health began when she was diagnosed with ADHD and this diagnosis would end up completely changing the course of her life as she navigated managing her ADHD and disclosing her condition to coworkers and others.
“I felt extremely stigmatized, lots of shame and very, very alone. And my self-care, such as eating and running and exercise, came to a screeching halt.”
Fortunately, over time she has learned how to view her ADHD from a place of positivity and is now empowering others to make positive life changes through movement and laughter. Through her work, she has come up with a few tips that she shared with me that you can use to start developing a positive perspective on your mental health.
Tip #1: You are not defined by your diagnosis
Heidi's first tip is to remember who you are. A lot of times when we are faced with a new diagnosis, we feel as if we have to fit into a particular box. Many of us already have preconceived ideas about the condition that we end up being diagnosed with, and it can be difficult to remember that we are so much more than that.
“If you are someone who happens to live with depression or ADHD or bipolar, you're just someone who lives with it. But it doesn't have to be you”
It's important to remember especially as we are first approaching our mental health conditions that we are more than just a list of symptoms. There are so many other parts of us that made up who we are.
Tip #2: Laughter is crucial to mental health
Next Heidi stresses the importance of not taking your mental health too seriously and remembering the power of laughter and joy.
“Don't take yourself so seriously. You know, laugh at yourself. Be silly.”
The reality is that when we are on the journey of working on our mental health, there are going to be bumps and challenges along the way. We are going to make mistakes and when we do, we have the option to either criticize and dwell on those mistakes or laugh them off. Treating every bump in the road negatively keeps us stuck, but finding the silliness and fun in each moment allows us to keep moving forward.
Tip #3: Engage in some type of physical activity daily
Finally, one of the most important tips Heidi has for all of us is an important reminder to prioritize our physical health by getting in touch with our bodies through movement. Many of us lead sedentary lives - especially now in this quarantine.
Now more than ever is it important for us to make some sort of physical activity a priority. By going on a walk, doing a few minutes of yoga, or dancing around your house, you not only help your body but also your mind. Heidi even recommends a good full body belly laugh to get you started.
“You can burn 40 calories by laughing. So keep laughing!”
Physical activity helps keep the energy moving in your body and especially if you are some struggles with anxiety, this movement offers you the opportunity to let out some of that nervous energy.