Wow, can you believe it’s August today? I think we’re all feeling it – the year is already more than half over, we’re exhausted and likely feeling very unmotivated, and it probably doesn’t help that it’s a cold winter as well! It’s no surprise that many people struggle mentally and emotionally around this time of year – Season Affective Disorder (SAD) is a real thing and affects more people than you realise! With that said, I thought that today might be a good time to do a mental health check in.

Like I wrote about last month, sometimes we just need to stop and take a break to reset. So right now, I’d like you to pause (and I mean really pause, no distractions or trying to multitask!) and take a moment to check in with yourself – gently, honestly, and without judgement. Here are some prompts you might want to ask yourself:

• How am I really feeling right now?

• What’s been quietly weighing on my mind lately?

• What have I done lately that’s felt good, life-giving, or just mine?

• What do I need more of right now — and what do I need less of?

• Have I been able to ask for help, or, more importantly, do I need to?

• Where might stress be showing up in unexpected ways?

• What would bring me comfort and peace in the weeks ahead?

Sometimes, just naming where you are and what you feel is the most powerful thing. And now that you’ve done that, we can look at some tiny but powerful ways to help nourish and reset your mind:

• Let natural light into your home and/or work space.

• Journal a few lines in the morning and/or before bed.

• Name 3 things that you’re grateful for this week.

• Schedule some quiet time to yourself for a walk or even just sitting down with a cuppa and a book.

• Create something: draw, paint, sew, bake – just make something with your hands.

• Deep breaths and stretches.

It doesn’t have to be big. This mental health check in is about a gentle reset – noticing what you need, honouring where you’ve been, and giving yourself the space and love to look after yourself, mind, body, heart, and soul. So as winter starts to turn into spring and the rest of this year charges ahead, don’t forget to keep checking in with yourself. Let’s make sure you can finish this year in a healthy state of mind!

And lastly, I want to leave you with some encouragement and reminders. If you’ve been struggling, if you’re exhausted and overwhelmed, if this winter has felt heavier and colder than usual, I just want you to know that it’s okay. You’re not doing anything wrong; you’re just doing the best you can. You don’t have to be “strong” to be healing. You don’t have to be productive to be worthy. You are not behind. You are not broken. You’re allowed to soften, to slow, to just be. Just like the seasons change around us, and nature along with it, you’re allowed to have seasons too – just remember that includes seasons of rest and nourishment, not just seasons of speed and growth!

**If you’re wanting to really take action and work on your mental health, then I’d like to recommend this Daily Mental Health Reset that was created by my lovely friend, Renee, and contains 30 guided but practical mental health resets you can do in under 10 minutes — so you can’t use time as an excuse for not looking after your mental health!