Our mental health and well-being deserves as much attention as our physical health!
Let’s talk about it this Mental Health Month.
Developing good practices for mental health self-care for young people lays a foundation for a balanced, healthy life, equipping us with lifelong skills that contribute to overall well-being.
The good news? Mental health self-care is a skill that can be learned over time with practice!
For our youth leaders, learning to care for their mental health has been transformative for their well-being. Here are some lessons they’ve learned along the way:
1. Recognise the Importance of Mental Health
It’s essential to recognise that mental health deserves as much attention as our physical health. Our mental health influences how we think, feel, and interact with others, shaping our ability to cope with stress, make decisions, and build meaningful relationships. Prioritising our mental health can help manage life’s challenges more effectively, whether it’s academic pressure, work stress, or personal struggles. Simple practices like setting aside time for mindfulness, maintaining supportive relationships, or finding healthy outlets that foster good mental health can make a significant difference.
2. Acknowledge and Accept Your Emotions
Our youth leaders learned that acknowledging and accepting their emotions—whether pleasant or not—is crucial to their mental health. Instead of masking their feelings, they embraced honesty with themselves, which also helped them better manage stress and anxiety.
3. Make Time for Yourself Doing Things You Enjoy
Investing time in hobbies and personal interests can also help us feel happy and healthy during challenging times. By breaking up study, work or life tasks with relaxing activities that you enjoy can also help you stay grounded. This could be drawing or painting at home, making jewellery or another craft, taking a dance class or simply listening to music that you enjoy!
4. Establish Self-Care Routines
Creating a well-rounded self-care routine is an important foundation for fostering positive habits that nurture our mental health and well-being —whether it’s making time to stay connected with friends and family, sleeping and waking up at regular hours, exercising where you can, eating meals at set times and making healthier food choices, having set times only when you use social media/technology, practicing mindfulness or meditation, or taking care of your personal hygiene. Practices such as journaling your thoughts and feelings can also be a powerful method for emotional expression and regulation.
5. Let’s Talk About It
One of the most important lessons our youth leaders have learned is the power of talking about their mental health. It’s okay to reach out for support and express how you’re feeling—whether it’s with a trusted friend, family member, or a professional. Talking about our thoughts and feelings can also help to release emotional tension, gain perspective, and often reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles. By having open discussions, we can break down the stigma around mental health, making it easier to seek help when needed. Let’s talk about it this Mental Health Month
Key Takeaway
The key takeaway from our youth leaders is the importance of looking after our mental health and finding small but impactful ways to nurture our mental health is essential. Their take home message?
Find what works for you and make it a regular part of your life.
As our youth leaders learned, mental health self-care isn’t a one-time fix but an ongoing practice. It involves self-awareness, patience, and a willingness to try different approaches until you find what works best for you. Whether it’s mindfulness, journaling, taking breaks, or engaging in hobbies & fun, caring for our mental health can significantly improve how we handle life’s challenges.
Remember to prioritise your mental health, explore different techniques, and most importantly, be kind to yourself as you navigate you’re your mental health and well-being.
Resources
You can also see and download our 8 Tips For Managing Stress & 5 Minute Stress Less Exercise poster here:
Need Support?
If you need someone to talk to, Kids Helpline offers free, confidential counselling support 24/7. Call 1800 55 1800 for help.
2Connect Youth & Community deliver accessible support to young people (aged 12-18) and parents/family members who live, work, or study in the Bayside and Georges River Council areas. You can also reach out to our Youth & Family Team on (02) 9556 1769 if you or someone you know needs support.
This blog is part of 2Connect Youth & Community’s ‘My First’ educational series, aimed at empowering young people as they navigate life’s early challenges. Our Youth Workers and Youth Leaders’ insights and advice can provide valuable tips for young people and their families as they deal with new changes and obstacles in school and life. Stay tuned for more!