There are days when stuff just doesn’t feel quite right inside my head and within my heart.
There’s no real warning. It just arrives and visits for the day, regardless of what I need to get done. On those days, I’m not myself. But I move forward as much as I can, because I’ve learned that most emotions pass in time.
We’re hosts, if you will, for a short while, to feelings like sadness, anger, fear, confusion, frustration and emptiness. And all we can do while they’re here is be gracious: talk to them; invite them in; ask why they’re here; and then, as if you would to any “guest” overstaying a welcome… don’t be shy to show them the Exit door.
A couple of weeks ago I was invited to a press conference about a new Canadian initiative called NOT MYSELF TODAY, which aims to get us talking openly and without shame about having bad days.
I’d like to say here and now that mental “health” and mental “illness” are under one umbrella, but that they are not the same discussion. What I’m sharing with you here is about gauging and sharing (and even regulating) our moods to live happier, more productive and less-stress filled lives.
Through Not Myself Today, you can take a pledge to pay more attention to your daily mental health status, while also learning how to keep a caring eye out for friends and family who might be struggling with their own thoughts and emotions as well.
This is an initiative I support, through and through.
The brain is a complex place – to not have a couple of wires short circuit every now and again would be, well, odd. The message, however, isn’t that we all have bad days and some of us struggle with being depressed – we know this. Instead, the message is about what we can do to keep our heads above water, open up to people who care and, above all, manifest the compassion and understanding in each other needed to help one another, genuinely and without judgement.
On Monday, April 30, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., you can sign your name and pledge to a huge wall at Yonge/Dundas Square. (more on the day of action here). I will be there at some point to sign my own name, plus take in the good energy that comes from people helping to lift the veil of silence on the subject of mental health. If you see me there, please do say hello – it always makes my day.
Follow @NMTCanada for updates on the initiative on Twitter.
-sandy.
(With my friend, Stu, at Top Ten Event 2011 after party, waving my hands to get the message across, as usual. And my husband, there in the back, kind of having a laugh at my enthusiasm…as usual:)
