Wide Open Spaces with Ilise Podcast, is about to launch it’s Fifth Season and we are excited for the Launch. This really got me thinking, May is as well Mental Health Awareness Month. It is not a coincidence that my Podcast initially began during Mental Health Awareness month four years ago. The world was struggling with a Global Pandemic and it just felt like it was the right time to create an avenue to support others Mental Health. Life has moved on in the world and so has my Podcast and where it has taken me. I found there was some light in the darkness in a Global Pandemic and that was the enlightenment on others Mental Health Struggles. I believe this occurred because most of us were taken out of our everyday existence. Working from home, limited social interactions and having more downtime then usual. I lament frequently how Social Media played such a big role in decreasing the Stigma of Mental Health. Celebrities and individuals alike began to talk about their emotional struggles and it became more main stream.
Time has marched on and our world has returned to it’s normal state. I can only hope that the lessons learned during this Lockdown period emotionally has become more woven in our lives. However, I have started to witness a lack of empathy arising again when it comes to Mental Health struggles. This is why we must continue to work on Breaking the Stigma of Mental Health. In this moment I want to encourage you to take a little trip back to that time period. Revisit the lessons you learned and why. It may just take a few moments for you to tap into those feelings and understandings. I believe for many it has become a blurry memory in our minds eye. I am here to remind you of how you were able to see clearer at that time, recognizing your emotional health struggles. The quiet and isolation allowed you to see it clearer and had less daily distractions to take your focus off of your own struggles. The world has gotten back to the hustle nonstop daily routines and there seems to be less time to focus on what is going on within ourselves.
I am here today to remind you of all the insight that you gained during that Pandemic Lifestyle. Close your eyes for a moment to envision yourself in your Lockdown world. What were the things you did on a daily basis. When things became tough what did you do to cope and what new skills did you learn? Are you still practicing these new learned skills today? I fear that many of you will acknowledge that you have let a lot of those epiphanies fall to a distant memory. I find this to be sad because we all had a lot of enlightenment during this time period and many of you vowed to maintain this new thought process. How do we get you back to the insight and new coping mechanisms that you tapped into back then? Many of you have become sucked into the vortex of the hustle and bustle of life and are neglecting your mental health once again.
I would love for you to sit with yourselves for a moment and make a list of all the things you did to fill the empty space that you had in your lives during the Pandemic. Sometimes we have to reminisce to bring these memories to the forefront of our brains. Once you have acknowledged what you were doing then, I want you to identify if any of those new habits and behaviors remain in your daily lifestyle today. I venture to say for most of you that the answer is no or only a minimal amount has carried over to your Post Pandemic world. I am completely aware that a lot of those coping mechanisms you saw as a way to pass the time no longer are practiced. I want you to ask yourself did you enjoy any of those coping mechanisms? My main coping mechanism was this blog and my podcast and well you can see that I have continued with these projects Post Pandemic. I realized how important it was for me and for my audience to continue to Break the Stigma of Mental Health.
Anxiety, depression, mood changes, frustration, grief, sadness, feeling overwhelmed and many other mental health issues still continue Post Pandemic. The obvious answer is because they were always there. The void of everyday routines during that time allowed our brains to really experience these symptoms. The world turning back to normal created a Post Pandemic Amnesia. Many of you have forgotten your experiences and lessons learned about yourself and others. I understand that this is human nature but I can’t help feel sad about the lost lessons learned. Realizing the struggles of yourself and others. Becoming more compassionate and insightful when dealing with others struggles. I have a news flash for you we still all experience anxiety, stress and depression Post Pandemic. Have you lost your patience with others when they experience the symptoms of these struggles? I have seen it and witnessed it myself. The lack of compassion for those that experience Mental Health Struggles has decreased once again. Through my Podcast and my listeners I also know that many have even become less compassionate with themselves.
It is imperative that you remind yourself that anxiety, stress and depression are real and the symptoms must not be ignored, like you did PrePandemic life. This holds true in respect to the individuals in your life who struggle. You must remind yourself that you know how hard it is for them and to be more compassionate and understanding. Encourage them to focus on themselves and their mental health needs. The Mental Health Stigma is beginning to rear it’s ugly head again and we can not let this happen. We had such a great Pandemic Enlightenment and now we are all falling into a Post Pandemic Amnesia. Losing all of the lessons learned and new skills acquired. Don’t beat yourself up for this, it is human nature. However, it doesn’t mean that we can’t break the patterns of dysfunction and revisit the lessons learned.
I would love for you to look back at this time period in your life. I understand there are painful memories as well during this time. My Dad passed away during the Pandemic and he passed away alone. I am not ignorant that it was an extremely tough period but there was good as well. I challenge you to practice one of the Leisure Activities that was new for you during that time and has since become a distant memory. I know that for me to help with my anxiety I did a lot of art oriented projects; however, since normal life has returned I have not dabbled in this at all. This is really a loss to me because it was a great way for me to cope with my anxiety and a chance to slow down. If it had those effects on me then, I can experience the same results now. I guess I will be heading out to my local art store to pick up some supplies. This will require me to carve out time in my busy schedule to shop and become immersed in a new project. It will be a challenge but I will remind myself how it got me through a tough time in my life. I hope that you take this challenge on for yourself and maybe incorporate others in these lost coping mechanisms with you.
Interpersonal communications and relationships are always impacted by our mental health state. If you find yourself becoming frustrated with others and their anxiety levels or their depression symptoms remind yourself that you had a taste of this during the Pandemic. If you remind yourself how real the struggle was it will allow you to become more compassionate with those in your life or workplace who continue to have Mental Health Struggles. This is exactly how we can Break the Stigma together. We all must remind ourselves that all it takes is a Global Pandemic to put us all back in an environment where our Mental Health Struggles become magnified and occur more readily. We all must be true and honest with ourselves that we must be understanding with others as well as ourselves. IT’S OK TO NOT BE OK, it’s just important that you acknowledge your struggles and that you are compassionate when you see others unable to cope.
This Mental Health Awareness Month I would like you to incorporate a new healthy coping mechanism in your life. Maybe, it was something you did during Lockdown or a new activity you have been wanting to try. We must always nurture our mental health not only during a crisis but in our everyday lives. Be insightful about your needs and those who are in your life. If you would like to wear some apparel to promote Breaking the Stigma go to ownyourstigma.com. I am a Brand Ambassador for @ownyourstigma and if you use my coupon you can receive 15% off your purchase. I became a Brand Ambassador because I believe it is important to spread the word of kindness. If you go to my “About Me” section of my website, I am wearing some of their products. It is amazing how many comments I receive from others when I where apparel that promotes self-care. Go out and find your way of Breaking the Stigma, maybe you will then realize IT’S OK TO NOT BE OK.
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POSITIVE THOUGHTS CREATE POSITIVE ENERGY
GO OUT AND EXPLORE ALL OF THE WIDE OPEN SPACES IN YOUR WORLD
CIAO
ILISE
LISTEN AND EVOLVE WITH ME.
