Episode 132--Mental health, mental rest, self-care

Childless not by Choice

Hello, and welcome to episode 132 of the Childless not by Choice Podcast. My name is Civilla Morgan. My mission is to recognize and speak to childless not by choice women and men around the world, reminding you that you can live a joyful, relevant, fulfilled, childless not by choice, life.

Whether you have children or not, thank you for tuning in!

What is today’s show about?

Mental health, mental rest, self-care.

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Body of episode:

Hello once again! Thank you so much for tuning in! Well, I am going to call this our Mental health, mental rest, self-care episode.

Mental health, mental rest, self-care.

At the beginning of August, I made the decision to step away from social media for the entire month. All through the month of July, I considered it as I realized I would basically have the month to myself. Dad is hanging out with his favorite child, kidding: my brother and his family are caring for dad this month. As a caregiver, and I would do it all over again, you are always on a high level of alert, as you are caring for another human being 24/7.

So I decided that while dad was with my brother and his family, I would take myself off social media, get some mental rest, go to the beach and enjoy my birthday month. And I have been doing just that!

I did consider that it might be an odd month for me to step away as it is a busy birthday month for my family. Most of my immediate family members have August birthdays! But I am sticking with my decision. I mean if it were an easy decision would it be worth it? Maybe, maybe not.

It’s been really weird to see so many social media notifications. On day three I was close to 200 already! I wonder how many there will be on August 31st?!

Well, not having to be on alert for 31 days and taking a break from social media, that combination does not happen very often. So I will be taking every advantage. I did put an out-of-office graphic on my Facebook and Instagram pages, I hope everyone realizes what is happening and that I am not ignoring them. Either way, my brain, and my body needed this. All of it!

Look, Mental Health Awareness month is in May here in the US, but the fact is, we should be thinking about our mental health every month. Mental and emotional health is always important as we are able to make better decisions when our brains are rested and healthy.

So what about you? Would you give it a try? Everyone’s mental health break is not the same. It does not have to be an entire month. It can be a week, it can even be a day, depending on what your life is like. The key is to recognize that you need a break, no matter what your life, your schedule, is like. The fact is, no matter how strong we think we are. We all need a break.

We are living in different, and honestly, strange times. 2020 beat us all up, mentally and emotionally. And 2021 seems to be only slightly better. People are still dying from COVID, there are still employment issues as well as the ending of a moratorium on evicting renters from their dwellings here in The US.

Life has always been hard. You have heard me say in the past: life is not for the faint of heart. We must try to take a break when we can. And I am thankful that I get this time.

So, I’m heading to the beach. I am going to get caught up on my reading. I am going to get some extra sleep. I am also going to enjoy the birthday gifts. The flowers. I have two vases of flowers that I hope will live the entire month of August. Take a look at the pictures I am posting here in the show notes. I will also post them on my Pinterest page once I am back on social media on the first of September.

I really hope you will take some time for yourself. Any time, some type of time. Recognize how you are feeling mentally, physically, and emotionally, and take heed. If you do, you will be a step ahead of the game of life.

Before I let you go, I want to talk to you about something that I believe is very important and in my opinion tied into mental health: Mindfulness.

I put some links here in the show notes to sites that discuss mindfulness, and mental health awareness. I also posted a link to a site on minority mental health. Be sure to check that out.

So, what is mindfulness?

Definition: ‘Being mindful means being aware of your thoughts, emotions, and how you're feeling both physically and mentally. ... It means being aware of your thoughts and feelings without judgment.’--Apr 20, 2018.

Now for those of you who may be Believers, that definition may sound a little bit familiar. Check this out:

‘Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.’--Philippians 4:8.

Sounds similar to the definition of mindfulness right? The bottom line is this, whether you are a Believer or not, it’s important to recognize that if you are struggling with negative thoughts, especially in the midst of the craziness of the last year and a half, it can be difficult to believe that things will get better, at least anytime soon. But even in the midst of all of this craziness, if you can set your mind to think on positive things, on good things, I believe it will help you make it through these difficult times.

Think about positive things:

It can be something nice a friend, family member, or even stranger did for you.

Think about how you feel when it is your day off from work.

Think about how it feels to be able to sit in your favorite coffee shop again. Think of how you feel when you are in a good mood, and then remind yourself that you are responsible for your mood even if others are trying to get on your very last nerve.

Renew your mind with good thoughts.

Check out some more suggestions below:

Some examples include:

• Pay attention. It's hard to slow down and notice things in a busy world. ...

• Live in the moment. Try to intentionally bring an open, accepting, and discerning attention to everything you do. ...

• Accept yourself. Treat yourself the way you would treat a good friend.--Google.

• Focus on your breathing.

Sounds simple, but it’s usually the simple things that work best. So, that’s all from me this month. I am going to go do all of the above, and I hope you will too. And don’t forget to check out the links in the show notes!

P.S. There are some wonderful admins and moderators managing the Childless not by Choice with Civilla Morgan Facebook group if you are in the group and have questions.

Although I am not on social media this month, you may email me, my contact information is in the show notes. You may also Messenger me, but I will not be able to respond until September.

So, see you in September!

Articles of interest:

https://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/minority-mental-health/

https://www.mindfulschools.org/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356

My contact information:Website: www.childlessnotbychoice.net and www.civillamorgan.comFacebook: booksbycivillamorganTwitter: @civilla1Instagram: @joyandrelevancePinterest: Civilla M. Morgan, MSMLinkedIn: Civilla Morgan, MSMhttps://www.teepublic.com/stores/childless-not-by-choice