"Mental health…is not a destination, but a process.”
Those words were penned by Psychology Professor Noam Shpancer, and the sentiment really resonates with me.
The journey that we are on requires intentionality and grace. We have to commit daily to exercising our faith muscles and affirming positive things in our minds, bodies and souls.
My last speaking engagement on self-care didn’t address just mental health but intellectual health.
Merriam Webster dictionary defines “intellectual” as the ability to think logically. Considering this definition causes me to ask us, as a group of first ladies, what are we doing to ensure we logically approach our passions and purpose?
Habakkuk Chapter 2 verse 2 implores us to write the vision and make it plain. Are we writing down our goals and keeping them ever before us? Are we putting a logical or reasonable plan in place to obtain these goals, or better yet, are we failing to plan in the first place?
Practices such as getting a whiteboard to write down our to-do lists, utilizing a planner or even a notebook where you can make checklists are tools you can use to help see the plan truly written out. I recently created a vision board as part of the Sacred Womb Circle I am a part of with my sisters, cousin and Mother.
It was honestly mentally therapeutic and relaxing. Taking the time to consider where I see myself currently and take stock of the desires for my future self and family was a great exercise in putting together this visual representation. It was great to slow it down
and do something creative and relaxing. Might you take some time this weekend to cultivate your plan or create a vision board? It’s not something that only has to be done at the start of a new year.
We want our work as black women to be intentional and executed with excellence, right? That can’t happen when we are operating in dysfunction. Let’s take the time to plan, work together and be smart and realistic with our efforts to be change agents in our communities.
Working smarter and not harder during this season should be the goal. By planning appropriately, we are helping our mental health in the process. Improper and poor planning undoubtedly causes unnecessary stress, which we know isn’t good for our mental or physical health.
What are some of your favorite ways to practice mental health self-care?
Let me know in the comments.