Google it!

Sorry I’ve not posted much on here for a while, it’s because I’ve been pretty much weekly blogging on my Google site. So if you Google me, you’ll find the site with the blogs on there. It’s a bit more spontaneous than the content I post here.

I’m well aware though that I need to post some more content, and I will endeavour to do so soon. I just like to post information here that doesn’t duplicate exisiting blogs I’ve written and that has real authentic therapeautic value.

I’m going to cut and paste a few of my weekly blogs to see how they fit here…

Off the back of Mental Health Awareness week, I’d just like to stop and reflect on what Mental Health actually is. I think in the UK it seems to have that attachement of when things have gone wrong. That we don’t feel right and we need to work out how to fix things. Sometimes, some of us have genuine biological conditions that cause us issues, for most of us though, that isn’t the case.

I would rather we think about Mental Health as achieving a level of contentment and well-being. That our aim as individuals and as a society is to ensure we feel good the majority of the time. That also takes a level of effort, as keeping in physical shape does. We know if we don’t take care of ourselves physically we run the risk of more physical health issues.

So why to we neglect our brain and mind? Surely, that needs equal TLC. When I say “effort”, I don’t mean anything like a work out. I really mean, just being more thoughtful and aware. Make sure you get enough good sleep. That you rest and make sure you find ways to unwind. To ensure your home environment is set up to feel a great space to relax and live in.

Do your best to avoid loneliness, make time for friends and family. Look to join clubs and societies etc, to widen your circle. All these things done as the usual will keep you in good mental shape. It’s as simple as that!

Life is complex and complitcated, but we can find ways to simplify it. That’s when it feels managable and good.

Here’s another –

This is/was Mental Health Awareness Week. With a focus on Body image. Which is always an issue worth considering.

Body image issues come in all shapes & sizes, pun intended! There are the fairly standard gripes about a spot here or a bit of excess weight there, then the far more troubling clinical diagnoses of Anorexia and Bulimia.

There’s a fair amount of debate about where these issues stem from. As always it’s going to be a fairly complex interaction of influences. The media gets it’s fair share of the blame, but that’s not the only place that humans are confronted with body related concepts.

Each culture has it’s own idea of “beauty” in both males and females, and sub-cultures within these. Parents, teachers, peers, colleagues and even the guy on the bus will give cues as to what’s expected. Even if you chose to go against the percieved “norm” that still requires energy and thought.

What’s the answer? Essentially it’s educating our species that from the word go there are healthier ways to be, and less healthy. That looks, fads and fashions come and go, but being healthy is in our long term interest. We need to help each other to flourish and to tolerate all the ways that can be achieved.