What the…by Nikki A. Lamers
Two simple words can be filled in with a variety of options to finish the thought, depending on your mood or your state of mind. Although I’m confident every single one of you could share the most popular, three familiar initials we all know so well, don’t you wish you didn’t have to ask?
Depending on your day, the common question, “How are you?” can be anticipated or dreaded, if not neutral. We all have times, days, weeks, and sometimes months that we want to respond with those three little words when asked something like this, but so many constantly live with fighting a reaction like that with every encounter, yet it is not always noticed or even detected when the person doesn’t want it to be.
There are different things we can do to impact our personal mental health, both positively and negatively. Sleeping, exercise, meditation, and healthy eating are good places to start on the positive side. For me, talking with friends and family, listening to music, and being able to write (my stories and in a journal) is essential. All of us are unique and may have something different that works to assist with our mental health, but I encourage you to figure out what your calm is and utilize it.
What you do may not be enough, and with other outside influences and factors, things can become overwhelming quickly, but there is help and support available. Although everyone needs to work to maintain positive mental health, for some, it comes easier than others.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and now that it’s coming to a close, I think it’s important to remember it’s not only a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly struggle but for many, it’s a lifetime. I have a background in public health and incorporate different aspects of health and wellness, including mental health, into my books because of its extreme importance in all our lives. You are not alone in your struggle.
Remember, whether someone is flipping you off, yelling because you forgot to put the toilet seat down, or complaining about your work, try to keep in mind, you don’t know what kind of day, week, or month they are in the middle of, or maybe they are struggling with their mental health, today or every day. It’s not easy to not react.
Next time you see someone you haven’t seen in a while, instead of falling back on, “How are you?” an alternative option to start with could be, “It’s good to see you.”
The question I want to ask everyone, although I only expect you to answer it for yourself, is, what have you done for your mental health today? Even if it’s something small, try to do something every day, and for every one of us, it may be something a little different. The little things can make all the difference, leaving the greatest imprint on our lives.
Nikki A. Lamers – Romance Author
