💚 Affordable Mental Health Practices 💚 (Patreon)

Mental health and mindfulness are often co-oped by companies, products, marketing, and I absolutely include my own content in there to a certain extent. And whilst there's nothing inherently wrong with providing a product to meet a demand, it can be helpful to remember that we don't have to spend a lot of money to practise self-care. 

Here are some affordable mental health practises:

- Go for a walk. Honestly, please feel free to roll your eyes at me, please sigh "I fucking knew it". Yes, the cliched, tired out "maybe if you go outside" is not an instant fix or a cure all, but it is a free way to change location, get yourself out of your room, your rut, and hopefully your headspace. I know it's always suggested, but there is a very good reason for that. 

- Eat a banana. Any fruit is good, but bananas (at least in the UK) give you the most bulk for your buck. They're a great source of energy, they're cheap and they keep you full longer than most other fruits/foods.

- Make a gratitude list. All you need is a scrap of paper and pen (you can do it on your phone if you have one) and just write down things that make you feel happy and grounded. When we're feeling low, we focus on what we don't have. Appreciating the good enables us to recognise that these low moods are worth riding out, helping us accept them, rather than wrestle and reject them. There is no light without dark, and being able to notice when we're in a low mood can create a distance and an acceptance that "this time too shall pass". 

- Have a bath or shower. It's a lot easier to be kind to yourself when you feel clean and groomed. I'm not talking about appearance, (although that has also been shown to help with our moods) I'm talking about being clean and hygienic and feeling comfortable. Comfort and security are a big part of feeling safe and at peace with ourselves and our situations. 

- Meet up with a friend. You don't have to go to a fancy cafe, an expensive restaurant, nothing like that. You can talk on the phone, meet up at a park or even just a space where you both feel comfortable. 

- Clean your space. Even if you just make your bed, your room will look so much more put together and help you feel less chaotic and stuck in your space. 

I welcome any suggestions below. Let's help each other feel less alone. 

Best wishes,

Tea