Hello All,

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May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental health is an important issue for us professionally and personally. Our mental health impacts and influences those we serve, our friends, families, coworkers, and neighbors.

We must all reflect on how we treat ourselves and others and strive to develop habits that support our mental health. We may want to consider incorporating the steps below into our self-care routine.

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Always Be Humble and Kind - Smile at someone, be friendly to someone we don’t know. Be generous with our time, energy, gifts, talents, and resources. Be patient, easygoing, warm-hearted, and thoughtful. Kind hearts are quietly kind. They let a car cut in front of them without losing their temper, let the three-year-old mom move in front of them in the checkout line, or take time to listen to others instead of complaining. We can show mercy and grace to those we feel may have slighted or wronged us and, in doing so, understand that mercy is the deepest gesture of kindness.

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Bring Nature Inside – while nature provides many benefits to our mental health, so does bringing plant life inside. According to the World Economic Forum, taking care of a plant can give us a sense of fulfillment while improving air quality and reducing airborne pollutants in our internal environments. Improved air quality can also boost cognitive performance.

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Clean Our Space - regardless of where our space is located, we can make it as clean and organized as possible. Spring cleaning is an age-old expression of getting a fresh start after the long winter months, but it also boosts our mental health. According to Very Well Health, just the spring cleaning ritual can give us a sense of accomplishment and control over our environment. 

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Focus on our Sleep - the benefits of a good night’s sleep can supercharge our brains and bodies. One of the ways we can look within is to see how we’re treating ourselves. Optum Health notes that limiting alcohol and caffeine before bed, lighting our meals, reducing exposure to screens, and keeping our space dark and cool are ways to have a better sleeping experience.

Let’s all commit to taking extra care of our mental health!  

 
Sincerely,
Linda L. Carney
President/CEO – Career Opportunity Development, Inc.