Did Someone Say, “ Mental Health Day?”


Having a routine offers stability in a typically frenetic day. Routines offer structure so we don’t feel like we are adrift in the open sea of life. As children we rely on routines for emotional, even physical stability. Even pets crave routines! As our lives tend to get more complicated, having a routine adds a bit of normalcy to a hectic day. This is one reason why exercise and meditation are thought to be so beneficial; they offer structure and often balance each day to a busy life. As great as routines are, however, at times they can feel like a rut. Predictability is nice, but so too, is a change of pace every now and then, which is why we need periodic vacations. While its not always practical to up and leave for the beach or the mountains weeks on end, taking an occasional mental health day is highly recommended. In Colorado where I live, these days go by another name (for those who ski). Its called a “powder day,” and for a host of reasons you will commonly see people who will take a day off from work during the week and head up into the mountains (I also call this “Mountain Therapy”!) In the days of old (like 30 years ago) Sundays, a day of rest, were our mental health days. Today people (unless your Amish) rarely rest on Sundays. That day is now relegated to catching up on the past six days of running around like a crazy person. Living in a 24/7 world may seem to have its advantages yet the long-term implications greatly affect one’s health. Health! Mental health! Mental Health Day! Consider it an investment into your life.

• Stress Tip for the Day:
Without lying (calling in sick) create a way that you can take a mental health day for yourself. If not a whole day, perhaps a few hours in the course of a day. Schedule a massage. Take a walk along the nearest beach or park. Do something for yourself and don’t feel guilty about it.

• Website Link Worth Noting:
I have a friend named Sun who periodically emails me the most wonderful weblinks. This one comes to us from the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), a wonderful organization whose mission is to help raise consciousness and make this a better world. This link is called one minute shifts. There are several to choose from. Enjoy!

http://oneminuteshift.com/

• Photo of the Day
I took a mental health myself yesterday (a powder day skiing in Winter Park). It was a great day in the mountains, and I was not alone in my efforts to maintain my mental health. I took this photo of others who had the same idea. Join the club and make this a habit for yourself as well.

• Joke of the Day

A Polish immigrant went to the DMV to apply for a driver’s license.
First, of course, he had to take an eye sight test.
The optician showed him a card with the letters
‘C Z W I X N O S T A C Z.’
‘Can you read this?’ the optician asked.
‘Read it?’ the Polish guy replied, ‘I know the guy.’

• Quote for the Day:

“ In wilderness is the preservation of the world.”
— Henry David Thoreau

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

Brian Luke Seaward

Author Brian Luke Seaward

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