On this blog, I have a tendency to write posts that build on each other. After writing about habits last week, I thought more about how we create and maintain healthy habits. In my research, it’s clear that any type of significant habit formation takes time. And during that time, we can become extremely committed to these new habits and the impact they’ll have in our life. But it’s important to remember that even though habits take time to create, these habits are as permanent as we need them to be for our mental health.
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Habit Forming and Mental Health
After writing about high-functioning anxiety earlier this week, I started thinking about habits. Over the course of our lives, we develop habits of all kinds. They can be good for us, they can be bad for us. They can be the thing we need to get through the day, or they can be something we do absentmindedly before bed. Regardless of where they originated from, habits form a major aspect of our day-to-day lives. And sometimes, without meaning to or realizing it, we can fall into habits without realizing it. This isn’t always a bad thing but when it comes to our mental health, it is something we should be aware of.
Continue readingRemembering to Connect the Dots
The other morning, I went for a run. I’m training for a half-marathon (my first one ever – please send some positive vibes my way!), so some of my runs are getting progressively longer. This run, in particular, was pretty grueling. It was longer than I had gone in a long time, and included some steep hills that seemed to come out of nowhere. Why am I telling you about this? Because after this run, I learned yet another lesson about connecting the dots between my physical health and my mental wellbeing – and it’s a lesson I always benefit from.
Continue readingA Midsummer Daydream
Well, here we are: the dog days of summer. For a lot of people, this time of the year is the last gasp of doing something fun and exciting before the fall begins. For me, it’s a chance to take a deep breath and try and reset. Even though very good things are happening in my life, the summer has been anything but relaxing. At a time when things are winding down, I’m still looking for those lazy days where things are calmer and quieter.
Continue readingThe Challenge of Unintentional Assumptions
Today, I want to talk about assumptions. Assumptions are part of our daily life, and they can happen at any time. We make assumptions off the biggest and smallest of clues, and they can largely depend on our mood at the time. While they can be harmless, they can also lead us down a path that is challenging and confusing if we’re not careful. A very frustrating things about assumptions is how unintentional they can be. Without meaning or trying to, you can assume the worst, and that can change the trajectory of your day. But in the past few weeks, I’ve learned a few lessons about assumptions, and I’d like to share one today.
Continue readingFive Tips for Reframing Should Statements
Earlier this week, I wrote about should statements, what they look like and what we can do about them. While writing the post, I realized I’ve learned a lot about should statements and should thinking, and how to manage it. That said, here are five helpful things to remember when you’re trying to reframe should statements.
Continue readingBreaking Down Mental Health Terms: What are Should Statements?
Over the years, I’ve learned a number of words, phrases and definitions that have helped me understand my own mental health. Some of these are connected to mental illness or medicine, while others are connected to mental wellness. In this recurring series, I break down some of the mental health terms I’ve learned over the years. Today, I’ll be breaking down should statements: what they are, what they look like and what we can do about them.
Continue readingThe Surprising Impact of Depression
There are several symptoms of depression that can make life challenging. Whether these impacts are on our physical health, our mental health or something else, you don’t always know how these symptoms will impact you in your day-to-day life. After years of living with depression, one thing I’ve come to realize is that my experience with depression has a massive impact on the way I see the world. And even though this impact has done a world of good in some areas, it has a negative impact in others. Today, I’d like to reflect on an unintended impact of my depression that I’m hoping to shift my thinking about.
Continue readingOn the Concept of Slowing Down
Today’s post will be short but sweet. Many of my posts are written in advance or pre-scheduled, which I enjoy doing. But sometimes I want to share how I’m feeling in the moment, which requires some quick thinking and reflecting. So, in the midst of a very busy time in my life, I wanted to reflect on the importance of slowing down.
Continue readingMy Misperception of Self-Awareness
There are many new buzzwords in the world of mental health, and one of the ones I’ve thought a lot about is the idea of self-awareness. In the past few years, self-awareness is brought up more and more in regards to living a mentally healthy life. Though it seems like a simple concept, my journey with self-awareness has been anything but simple. I used to be under the impression that once I improved my self-awareness, my anxiety and depression would go away. In today’s post, I’d like to share why I was wrong, and how I plan to fix it.
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My Brain's Not Broken 