Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health awareness week this year is about raising awareness on ‘how’ important kindness is in life, especially during these strange times with the coronavirus.

Kindness is choosing to do something that helps others or yourself, and is motivated by genuine warmth and kindness.

Evidence shows that helping others can also benefit our mental health and wellbeing such as:

• Restful sleep
• Improved mood
• Reduction in stress
• Sustained happiness

The key is not to over think it!

There are many simple ways that we can be kind and help others during these times. Good deeds don’t need to cost much time or cost much money.

Helping others is thought to be one of the ways that people create, maintain, and strengthen their social connections.

So, what can you do to be kind and stay connected:

• Pick up the phone for a chat
• Take an interest in what you hear
• Take notice and comment on what people are doing (baking, gardening, reading)
• Drop someone a text, or WhatsApp message
• Offer a listening ear if that is required (remember nobody expects you to have the answers, but a listening ear with kindness can make all the difference)
• Arrange a get to together via Zoom, WhatsApp, or teams and have a bit of fun with a little game

It really doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you do something!