Let's be transparent, 2020 is not what we expected.  These past few months have been a lot and I am not just talking about the pandemic. From socio-political issues to financial concerns, these situations can allow for self-care to fall by the wayside. "We will not have it!" (I said this in my M'Baku voice from Black Panther). I just wanted to share a quick way to help you get back on track with your self-care practice.

What is Stress?
Stress is a catch all word to mean that "something is going on." Granted, that is the stripped down version of the term. The National Institute of Mental Health defines stress as how " the brain and body respond to any demand."  Not all stress is bad stress. Some feelings of stress can keep you safe because it activates the fight/flight/freeze response. The issue is when your stress moves from helpful to harmful. The harmful stress is called distress.  Distress can lead to the development of unhelpful coping strategies.  It can lead you feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and over it. 

Self Check-In
One way to make sure that you are managing your stress is to do a self check-in. Take time out of your day to ask yourself these questions:

1. When is the last time you took a deep breath?
2. Are you holding tension in your body?
3. Are you still staying connected to your support system?
4. When was the last time you took a mini mental break?
5. How are you doing?

Taking time out of your day to do a self check-in will help you take stock in how you are managing life stressors. It is a way to be a gentle reminder for you to engage in your self-care practices. 

Times maybe challenging right now, but that does not mean that you cannot stop to care for yourself. Taking care of your needs first (physical, mental, and emotional) does not mean that you do not care for others less. The time you take out for yourself allows for you to fully present in the moment later.  If you need additional tools regarding self-care check out my "What is Self-Care" post.

Stay safe everyone.

First published on the Time2Track blog on April 3, 2017, this piece deals with the feeling of competition that can be felt in grad school programs. Click on the link to read the full piece: bit.ly/3iCzfyc ​

Thank you to the Diversity, Social Justice, and Inclusion Committee of the DC Psychological Association for the invitation to speak on this panel. 

It is important that individuals engage in self-care practices to help maintain quality of life. Self-care is the act of tending to one’s needs so that they may function in their daily lives. Below are five ways that we can incorporate self-care in our daily routine:
 
1. Attending to your physical needs: This is the most basic way to attend engage in self-care is to make sure your physical needs are being met. Taking care of your physical need will give you the foundation needed to tackle the day. Some examples of physical needs are eating (go ahead and take that lunch break), getting adequate sleep (6-8 hours a night) and exercise (as simple as taking a 10-minute walk around the office). These simple steps are great ways to get in a bit of self-care into your day. Neglecting these activities can be a sign that you are under strain because these are the first needs to go when under high levels of distress. 

2. Tending to your social needs: Human beings are social beings. We need to be around others to survive. Studies have shown that social isolation can lead to a decline in mental health. Interacting with others can help relieve anxiety and releases hormones in your brain. Simple ways to meet your social need includes going out for a cup of coffee, phone conversations or sitting next to your friends in church.

3. Increase Your Mindfulness. By engaging in mindfulness, it allows us to check-in with ourselves and our surroundings and place our minds in the present moment. The easiest way to engage in mindfulness practice is to focus on your breath. Diaphragmatic breathing lowers anxiety. To engage in diaphragmatic breathing image you are smelling a flower (breathe in) and then you are blowing out a candle (breathe out).

4. Practicing your faith:  Research has shown that religious practices can be a protective factor against depression and suicide.  Engaging in faith helps promote hope and connection with others. 

5. Talking  it out: The easiest element of self-care is reaching out for help. By simply saying “I need help,” you are already taking the first step in gaining the power over your mental health.

Engaging in self-care practices is one step that everyone can do to help ensure that they are quality mental health.