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If you have followed me on social media, for the last two years I have dedicated my posts from the beginning of September until Canadian Thanksgiving to making note of 3 good things in my life each day.

In fall of 2021, I was on a course with Stanford, we had to post our good things daily in a designated forum. At the time there was a lot of disarray in my life, on every level I felt things were stressful or falling apart. This assignment was a significant experiment in my life, I really had to dig deep to come up with my three things. It helped me personally and to my surprise I had others reach out and tell me how much it made their days. It wasn’t about pleasing anyone, it was about setting a goal and seeing it through. How fortunate that it lifted others along the way.

This year I set out to do it again, it was about reframing the perspectives on my life, on my own terms. Because I used Instagram, I needed to have a photo to go with my post and had to be looking for something throughout the day that captured the essence of my good things. People would say, “Am I going to be one of your good things today?”, it didn’t occur to me that anyone would care, but they did. Imagine reframing the way you think about something you have done a thousand times, or showing that you value an experience by making it one of your highlights. You can’t go wrong, if you look for the good you will find it, and likewise for the bad.

On the flipside, I had a few comments last year along the lines of “wouldn’t it be nice”. This surprised me, the things I expressed were nothing out of the average persons’ reach. Sometimes it was as simple as, “We had left overs, Mom win!” Again its the reframe, the new perspective on the old and mundane. It was also so completely out of context for what was actually happening in my life. Looking for the bad will certainly manifest it, you will always bump into someone who doesn’t really know what’s happening in your shoes. Don’t take it personally, I mean that, shake off the discouragement or the need to justify and keep going. At some point, those naysayers will have a similar awakening or they might realize that some of the small and simple things really can perk you up. I hope they share it when it happens.

Try it out. Make a note at the end of the day, even if its just for a week, what three things are you grateful for, cheered you up or saw in a different light? Tell me how it makes you feel.

In 1949 Mental Health America, a non-profit organization devoted to providing support to those affected by mental illness, designated May as Mental Health Month. This may be the reason you notice a surge of mental health content in your social media feeds over the next few weeks.

You need only talk to the generation above you to see how the subject of mental health has developed through the years. What were once seen as character flaws, or signs of weakness, have since been revealed to be far more complex in nature. I would posit that there isn’t a single human on Earth today who isn’t directly affected by mental illness. From a vast range of clinical diagnosis, to the imprint of past trauma that continues to impact our lives to this very day – I believe we all stand to gain greater emotional peace and mental freedom by engaging in mental wellness practices.

Over the next few weeks I will be looking at ways we can all be more proactive in supporting mental health; for ourselves and those around us.

Educate Yourself

Knowing how to help someone with mental illness can be an overwhelming question. It may be difficult to know what to say, what to do, what to think, or what to feel when you are faced with unfamiliar or confusing behavior from someone you love. One of the greatest forms of support you can provide them, is learning about the symptoms and characteristics of their condition. Taking the time to do this research will help sure up the foundation of your relationship by:

Many people who suffer from mental illness can find it very challenging to make and maintain meaningful relationships. This can be due, at least in part, to behaviors related to their condition that sabotage connections to others. Being able to see these indicators, and associating them with the condition – not the person – may help you to find the compassion required to be a little more patient, forgiving, and helpful, instead of taking offense or holding on to resentment.

2. Helping THEM feel understood, accepted, and safe.
Being a safe space for someone is, in my opinion, one of the greatest gifts we could ever offer to someone we love. Offering a refuge free from judgement, contention, apathy, or shame can make all the difference when someone is in the midst of a mental health crisis. When we take time to learn about the conditions affecting those we love, we acknowledge and validate their struggle while simultaneously bolstering the trust and safety they feel with us.

In addition to the ways that education can help you support those who struggle with mental illness, it can also help you take inventory of your own mental health. Acknowledging there is a problem is the first, and sometimes the most difficult step. Once we identify where we may need to pay a bit more attention, we can reach out and find help and support from those who may be more familiar with the path.

There are innumerable resources online that can help you learn more about specific illnesses and conditions, so I’ll just leave you with one that I think is a great place to start. The site is hosted by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and provides an index of conditions along with information relating to each one.

Take a look at ‘The Depression Recipe’ video on our YouTube channel for more information on this subject as well.

The days are longer, the air is warmer, and the grass is… well… brown, but I’m sure it’s green in other places! That’s right, folks – it’s Spring! Or at least it soon will be, and we want to help you make it as fantastic as it can be. The phrase ‘spring-cleaning’ conjures up a lot of different images and feelings for people. Spring Cleaning at Russell Wellness Group means rebirth, renewal, and refocus! It truly is the season to wake up and start moving in the direction you want to go.

Over the next six weeks, we will be focusing on 6 different aspects of Spring Cleaning that will empower you to use the moments you’re in, to improve the moments to come. Cleaning out the clutter – from our closets to our minds – helps us see things will increased clarity. It’s a lot like cleaning a dirty window; not only does it let in the light to see ourselves as we are, it clears up the view of our potential and what we can achieve.