Small Shifts that Help
WISDOM FROM GROVE
Taking good care of your mental health doesn’t need to look grand nor take a lot of time and resources. Small, meaningful shifts in your awareness of, and response to, your emotional wellbeing can make a significant difference.
Life is very full. External demands and intensity in the world around us can put any of us in a response mode - noticing more about what is happening around us than within us. And, the reality is often that we do not have much time, space, and or energy to check back in with ourselves.
That’s why we want to share our advice with you about small shifts - in mindset, in coping skills, in awareness - that can help. Remember that just as many small pebbles could cumulatively be quite a load, small moments of self-care can make significant change.
If you find you’d like additional support, please reach out to us. We are here to help with in-person or virtual psychotherapy, psychiatry, yoga, mindfulness, school support, and other mental health needs.
Wisdom from Some of Our Collaborators
Anique Pegeron, MA, RYT (she/her)
If you are enduring a difficult moment, don't forget the healing power of directly feeling your emotions in your body, and sending yourself compassion. When we struggle, we often get stuck in the mind, trying to think our way out of an emotion, but this often leaves us more stressed and less present. Instead, try sensing where the emotion is showing up in your body, breathing into it, and sending yourself some compassion - for example, putting your hand on your heart and reminding yourself that you're safe, you're loved, and you'll get through this. Allowing yourself to directly feel your emotions in your body is key to healing them on a deeper level; self-compassion gives you the opportunity to provide yourself with the care, presence, and support that you need to help you through the difficult moments in life. This combination is a powerful one for enhancing mental and emotional health in all of us.
Carryn Lund, LMSW, RYT (she/her)
We are often fed a message that mental health can somehow be "fixed" or that the goal for wellbeing should be unwavering happiness. Yet, the reality is that all humans experience anxiety, dread, sadness, joy, love, and grief. Learning to work with difficult emotions and patterns, instead of trying to “fix” or “get over” them, can make all the difference. So, my guidance is to begin by reminding ourselves that it’s okay to be human - and that being human is inclusive of a wide range of emotions. Each emotion belongs.
Ian Reed Twiss, LLMSW (he/him)
Personally, I find it very easy to "live in my head" and not pay much attention to the sensations in my body and what they may be telling me about my emotional state. So I find it helpful just to remember to check in from time to time, drawing my attention briefly to scan my body and also to "go inside" and notice what emotions I'm experiencing. At the same time, I will take 5 deep, belly breaths. The simple act of attending and naming our sensations and emotions, compassionately without judgment, while breathing deeply, can be very helpful in regulating emotions.
We often forget about our basic needs when we are overwhelmed. When I am more tired or stressed than usual, I ask myself if I need water, food, connection with friends, or a nap. We may not have all of our problems solved, but we can check in and see where we can start. By taking care of our basic needs, we are then able to access what part of our being needs attending to. It sounds small and simple, but it's empowering to know that we can always start here.
Margaret Levasseur, LMSW, CCTP (she/her)
I would like to encourage others to remember that sometimes the simplest things can be beneficial to our mental health. Movement, rest, sunshine, friends; all these things can help lift or maintain our well being.
Life is indeed so complex and full. I have to remind myself again (and again) to slow down and just… be here. “I’ve done enough,” is a phrase that I use often; it helps me find calm, take breaks, and let go.
This blog is one of the offerings of Grove Emotional Health Collaborative. We offer a range of mental health care services. Explore Our Providers or reach out to get started today.
