week 21/26

Mental Health Monday – Memorial Day

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Today can be a difficult day for several reasons, the least of which is the shitshow that’s the current US government administration. There are fireworks (triggers for those with PTSD, pets, etc.). There are ceremonies commemorating the dead military of past wars and conflicts. There are mattress and car sales, which often don’t correlate to the reason for today’s day off from work, as well as picnics, parades, and a sea of red, white, and blue.

I’ve had flags on my front lawn for several months and as we move closer to the 250th anniversary of our country’s founding, I wonder if I should keep them up considering the fascism and lawlessness going on at the White House and in Washington, DC.

I did decide to leave them up for this weekend. Memorial Day hits harder than the other patriotic days especially when we are still at war and our “commander-in-chief” is a stark, raving lunatic who collects assassination attempts like my kids collect Pokemon cards.

I will be doing five things to get through the day today, and hope to keep my mental health on an even keel:

  • Wear my protest shirt.
  • Begin reading Heather Cox Richardson’s Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America.
  • Spend some time going over my notes from my recent research trip for my book.
  • Spend time in prayer and prepare for my upcoming ten minute presentation.
  • Breathe, drink water, stay off the internet, and draw even if the drawings are doodles and intersecting lines in different bright colors.

What do you suggest for today to protect your mental health?

Mental Health Monday

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Things don’t always go as planned, and that’s okay.

The Mental Health Monday I planned for last Monday never happened.

You may not have noticed because I gave no preview; I’m trying to move away from the previews, but the planning was still there, it was on my calendar, I wanted to publish something weekly during this mental health awareness month – it just never happened.

Part of my mental health is having goals and following through on them, but also part of my mental health is allowing myself grace.

Grace to change my mind.

Grace to miss a deadline, and accept that especially if there’s a good reason.

Grace to let myself take time for myself to have breakfast after a doctor’s appointment and then go to work.

Grace to take my own needs into consideration, to put myself first, to consider my own priorites.

To accept my own importance.

To adjust for my own needs.

To sometimes save my spoons.

My recommendation to you today is to take a moment. Ask yourself what you want from today. Then try to let it happen.

And if it doesn’t…well, there’s always tomorrow.