Mental Wellness Check

During the COVID-19 pandemic, taking care of your mental wellness is more important than ever. Developing healthy coping skills gives us positive tools to productively address challenges. Like our physical health, our mental health requires maintenance and care to maintain. During the coronavirus pandemic, it’s important to pay attention to both aspects of ourselves.

When we identify sources of suffering in our lives, it becomes much easier to navigate them. Being aware of our bodies and experiences is the first step to uncovering what works best for you. 

Use Coping Skills to Enhance Mental Wellness

As we gain more positive coping skills, our sense of hope tends to increase. This is an important aspect of self-care. If you’re unsure of where to start, use this wellness checklist as a simple and easy guide.

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said,

His words have new meaning this month as we discuss the importance of coping to hope and hoping to cope.

We all need to check in with ourselves on a regular basis. This week, dedicate five minutes to take this inventory and boost your mental wellness. 

Are you ready? Let’s get started. 

Put your phone down, dim the lights, shut the door, and spend some time with yourself. 

Mental Wellness Check How-To Guide:

Step 1: Close your eyes, turn off any sound, sit still, and focus on your breathing as you continue breathing naturally.

Step 2: Clear your mind of any rumination or racing thoughts by keeping your focus on your breathing. If your mind wanders, as all of ours do, return your focus to this clarity without self-judgment.

Somatic Sensations

  Turn your focus to the sensations you’re  experiencing right now:

• Pain
• Pressure
• Tightness
• Heat
• Cold
• Hunger
• Thirst

Assess your sense of your position in the world. While acknowledging the existence of any of these sensations, if they exist in you, allow yourself to accept them and move forward.

Monitoring Mood

Step 4:  Consider your feelings and emotions in this moment. Which of these applies to how you feel?

• Happy
• Sad
• Mad
• Upset
• Disappointed 
• Suffering
• Hurting
• Worried
• Anxious
• Scared

Give these feelings a name without thinking about what’s causing them. Allow yourself to feel, rather than pushing them away or trying to shut them off.

Thought Inventory

Step 5: Pay attention to your thoughts. What’s been on your mind lately? Is social distancing making you feel lonely? Is working from home causing stress? What thoughts are in your mind at this moment? Consider the following:

• Where do they keep turning? 
• Is there a theme?
• What is the main focus? 

Consider any judgments you might be making and accept that they are judgments and return your focus to your breathing.

Finally, count ten breaths, open your eyes, and return to your day. We hope this wellness check helps you feel refreshed, centered, and ready to take on any challenges that arise this week! If you’re looking for more healthy coping strategies, check out this guide to self-care.

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