Tips for Taking Action this Mental Health Month
From Mental Health America
May is Mental Health Month, a time to raise awareness of the importance of mental health and well-being. Our mental health is just as important as our physical health and needs to be attended to in similar ways. While May is all about awareness, this month, we are encouraging you to take it a step further—into action! Raising awareness is an essential first step, but meaningful change can blossom when you act.
Here are 3 ideas for how you can start taking action for yourself or others this May and beyond!
Take Small Steps For Yourself
Small steps, when done consistently over time, can lead to a big change! Sometimes, making a lifestyle shift can feel overwhelming. Think about taking care of your mental health like you would your physical or spiritual health. To care for ourselves physically, you might go to the gym, walk, or take a fitness class. To care for yourself spiritually, you might meditate, go to a place of worship, or spend time in nature. Think about your mental health in the same way. What daily or weekly habits can you build into your routine? Often, things that benefit our physical and spiritual mental health also benefit our mental health!
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Build a "mental health routine" like a workout routine! This will help with accountability to make sure you are prioritizing your self-care
Explore what kinds of self-care are most beneficial to you.
Try sprinkling practices like journaling or mindfulness into your daily or weekly routine.
Create Healthy Boundaries
Boundaries can be helpful in the context of personal relationships, work, technology, or even substances. However, they can sometimes be challenging to identify and even harder to enforce. When we identify our needs to achieve well-being, we are able to more easily recognize what boundaries can help us attain that.
Here are a few tips for creating healthy boundaries:
Reflect on how to set boundaries with people in your life using MHA's tool
Consider your needs and limits
Identify and eliminate toxic influences
Know it is okay to say no without guilt
Be consistent with enforcing and reinforcing your boundaries
Take Action Through Advocacy
As individuals, we often look to "make an impact" or "do good. While these are desires that can fulfill us, it can be hard to know how to do that. A great way to help others and make a difference is through advocacy. Mental health is not just a personal journey; it is a movement - and you don't have to be an expert to make a difference—your voice and story matters. Policymakers and elected officials need to hear from you about the importance of mental health resources and support. Sharing your voice for good can be a great way to start fulfilling your desire to make an impact.
MHA has made it easy for you to get involved in advocacy with these tools:
Terms to know: Mental health policy and advocacy
Send a letter to your legislators about important mental health issues. Don't worry – we've done the writing; you just have to fill in the blanks.
May is an opportunity to take steps toward improving your mental well-being and the mental health of those around you. By being intentional, creating routines, seeking support, setting boundaries, and advocating, you can contribute to a culture that prioritizes and nurtures mental health! Learn more about how to celebrate Mental Health Month with Mental Health America at mhanational.org/may.