Taking Responsibility for my own Mental Health

Take 5 a day for Mental Health and Wellbeing

The 5-A-Day for Mental Wellbeing approach is a set of evidence-based actions which have been proven to support our mental health. The 5 simple and practical actions include: Connect, Be Active, Give, Take Notice and Keep Learning. Including these 5 actions into our daily lives improves our mental health and wellbeing.

Connect

Positive relationships are considered vitally important to our mental health and wellbeing. Positive relationships provide the experience of connecting with another person which is vitally important for our health and happiness. Being part of a relationship and experiencing a connection can have many formats, including someone close, an acquaintance, or even a stranger with whom we experience a friendly interaction. Connecting is not only important for emotional support but it also helps is to develop a sense of belonging, self-worth and reduces isolation.

Action Ideas:

Take time to talk to people close to you at home, in school, in your friendship group or in your community.

Call a family member of friend that you haven’t connected with for a while.

Say hello or smile at someone you don’t already know in your school.

Be Active

Regular exercise makes us feel good and has a significant impact on supporting our mental health and wellbeing. Been active relieves stress, improves memory, helps us sleep betters, energy boost our overall mood. Exercise is also a powerful tool to help us manage anxiety and feelings of depression. The good news is that you don’t have to give hours everyday to reap these rewards, it is recommended that 30 mins a day – 5 days per week can yield these results.

Give

Volunteering can give us the opportunity to contribute something positive to our local community. Regardless of where we are or who we volunteer with, our contribution can Be Active make a real difference and have an impact on the people and communities that we work with. As well as helping others, giving back can also have huge personal benefits including, increasing your social and relationship skills, help reduce stress, explore your interests and give you new perspective on your life.

Action Ideas:

Join your local youth club

Volunteer at local events such as fairs or festivals

Volunteer with the elderly in your community.

Take Notice

Reminding yourself to ‘take notice’ can help us to be fully present, aware of where we are, and what we’re doing, and how we are feeling. Taken the time to ‘take notice’ enhances your self-understanding and allows you to make positive choices based on your own thoughts and feelings.

Action Ideas:

Practice taking mindful moments - like taking time to pause and breathe during your day.

Let your judgments roll by - When we notice judgments arise during our practice, we can make a mental note o them, and let them pass.

Be kind to your wandering mind - Don’t judge yourselor whatever thoughts crop up, just practice recognizing when your mind has wandered off, and gently bring it back.

Keep Learning

Learning new things can boost our self-confidence and self-esteem and help us to find meaning and purpose in life. It’s a great way to keep your brain active and healthy for a long and busy life. And in a world that is changing faster than ever, there are so many opportunities to learn, and that includes outside of the workplace and school.