Being kind to yourself: starting 2023 the right way
27th January 2023
As the New Year begins a lot of people will set New Year’s resolutions or will be striving for a ‘new year, new me’. At SAMH we do things slightly differently, and instead promote the value of practising self-acceptance. It can be unhelpful to set unrealistic expectations with resolutions – instead we recommend prioritising your mental health and wellbeing all year round.
But what do we actually mean by this?
Evidence suggests there are five ways to improve our mental wellbeing:
• Connect
• Be active
• Take notice
• Keep learning
• Give
We all live such busy lives that it can be challenging to find the time to care for our wellbeing. Here are some suggestions of how we can include the five ways to wellbeing in our day-to-day lives.
Connect: January can be a particularly lonely time, so it's important to keep in touch with friends and family. Staying connected may seem easy with social media, but a good old face-to-face meeting or phone call can sometimes give us the space and focus to connect with loved ones in more meaningful way. If you’d prefer to use social media, why not pop a friend or colleague a picture that reminds you of them?
Be active: Regular physical activity is associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety across all age groups. We know it’s not always easy to find the time or motivation for exercise (especially in the cold Scottish climate!) but did you know there are ways that we can increase our activity levels without leaving home or the workplace?
You can take the stairs instead of the lift, or you could try some gentle exercise, like stretching, before you leave for work. Even tidying up your work space between calls counts!
Take notice: With so much going on it is important we appreciate what’s happening now, and try not dwell on the past or worry about the future. This is the practice of mindfulness, which can be a great way to de-stress and train our brains to be in the moment – without judging anything. Mindfulness has roots in Buddhism and meditation, but you don't have to be spiritual, or hold any particular beliefs, to try it. Why not try being mindful when you are walking, focusing on what you can see, feel and smell? Or you can try a body scan, where you sit still and move your attention slowly through different parts of the body, starting from the top of your head and moving all the way down to the end of your toes (notice where you feel warmth, tension or feelings of relaxation).
Keep learning: Learning can be fun, and it also increases our confidence. So take time out to read a book, learn a new skill or pick an old hobby back up. If you want to start small then you could try cooking a new recipe. If you feel up for a bigger challenge, then you could try learning a new language or sign up for a free course.
Give: It feels rewarding to give something back, so you could look into volunteering for a cause you feel passionate about. It’s been proven that an act of kindness boosts our mood and increases our wellbeing. This can be as much as signing up to be a mentor or as little as offering to help a neighbour who may have issues with mobility. You can find out about volunteering opportunities here.
January can be a difficult time because of the after-effects of the festive season and the dark nights, so it’s important to focus on doing things that are enjoyable and boost your wellbeing, especially as your motivation may dip.
Taking a break from social media can also be helpful during this period. Comparing ourselves to others can be tiring especially when they might only be presenting their “best self”. Continue doing the things that are helpful to you and stay true to yourself because, while change is good, it is useful to remind yourself that some things don’t need to change.
Emma Mamo specialises in empowering organisations with the tools they need to support good mental health. SAMH Workplace offers cost-effective solutions to support your organisation, regardless of size, and can offer virtual or in-person training. Please email workplacetraining@samh.org.uk to find out how we can support you.
