Hey Jackets, happy Friday! Welcome back to the Self Care Chronicles. With finals having just passed, I thought that it would be nice to talk about the mental aspect of self care so we can be better prepared for spring evaluations.
According to the Australian government, “Self-talk is the way you talk to yourself, or your inner voice … Self-talk is important because it has a big impact on how you feel, what you do and even how you manage pain.” Self-talk can be positive and empowering, but can also be negative and diminishing. Having positive self-talk helps to re-frame challenges as learning opportunities, boost resilience, focus, and determination. One way to start better self-talk is to rephrase your negative thoughts into positive ones. Instead of saying, “I am bad at the clarinet," try saying, “I am getting better at the clarinet.”
Mindfulness is being aware of yourself, your feelings, and thoughts in your current state without judgement. Basically, it helps you become more present and intentional in daily life. While it seems daunting, in actuality it can be simple, the trick is to do it often. You don't need an hour a day or fancy equipment, all you need is yourself and a couple of minutes. You can practice mindfulness on the bus, during lunch, before and/or after school, or any time when you have a few minutes to spare. You can practice mindfulness by focusing on your breath, or doing the 54321 sensory grounding (five things you can see, four things you can touch, three sounds, two smells, one taste).
Another form of mental self care is therapy. Therapy is a treatment that is aimed at relieving emotional stress and other mental health problems. Therapy creates a safe space to talk about whatever might be on your mind and help you to build coping skills. You do not need to pay a therapist in order to have therapy (though it is a great option if you want and you have the time and money for it), you can practice therapy with your friends, a trusted adult, or even by yourself. To some, it could be venting about your feelings, or for others it could be discussing their past. An amazing therapy resource is the Wellness Center, located in H104. You can stop in there any time between 8:30 a.m. (10 a.m. on Mondays) and four p.m., with a lunch break in the middle. The Wellness Center offers a quiet place for students to be if they are having a tough time or need a break from class. Inside the Wellness Center, there are an array of different activities for students to do in order to calm down, like puzzles, coloring books, and board games. There are also adults that you can talk to who will keep all information confidential unless it crosses the mandated reporter line. On top of that, you don't have to pay to go to the Wellness Center! Just dock your phone and enjoy the things that it has to offer.
With that Jackets, remember to be kind to yourself. You got this!