Have you ever noticed how often we tell people that we’re fine regardless of how we are actually doing when someone asks how we are? We have become socialized into believing that it is more important to be “polite”, than honest. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood we decided that people don’t really care about how we are doing, so it’s just better to say we’re fine, even when we’re not. There is even this crazy myth going around that if you aren’t doing okay, there is something seriously wrong with you.

Because of that, we’re so happy that with May, Mental Health Awareness month has arrived to share the truth! The truth is that no one is always okay. In fact, pretending to be okay when your anxiety and stress is telling you otherwise to appear “strong”, is detrimental to your health. You can not get the help you need if you refuse to acknowledge how you are hurting.  Allow space for your humanity to show, and remember that having good mental health is not a one time event, but a daily task. Here some tips we can all apply, to intentionally add more peace into our lives.

Mental Health Tips:

 Remember it is okay to not get everything on your to do list for the day (or week) accomplished. Taking time for yourself, to recharge or simply rest deserves your time and attention too. You cannot pour from an empty cup.

 Take a social media break. Even if you just use it as a fun pastime, you have to be cognizant of what you’re consuming and know when social media is beginning to block your productivity and lowering your self esteem with too much time watching filtered lives that could be making you feel worse about your own.

Talk to someone- yes, a therapist. Just like everyone needs to have regular check ups with a physician about your physical health, we all need an expert to check in on our mental health and help us understand our emotions. 

Treat yourself lavishly. Normalize feeling like you DESERVE nice things, and that it is necessary to treat your skin, body, and hair to consistent high quality treatments. (I hear Urban Hydration has some luxurious, safe body, skin, and hair products, for great prices.)

Spend this month intentionally considering your true mental health and taking strides to making progress. Each day this month on our IG, @UrbanHydration is posting positive mental health tips on our stories, so make sure you check in for your daily self-LUHV reminders!