Self- Awareness is Self-Care: A Journey Towards Mental Wellness
Self-awareness is key to maintaining mental wellness and to heal from life’s wounds. Unfortunately, the world is not set up or designed for us to take breaks, check in with our emotions or affirm our values. We are unconsciously being conditioned to keep pushing our boundaries and limitations and to produce outcomes. But at what cost? The cost is a mental tax on our health. The cost is lack of enjoyment and engagement in our everyday lives. We self-sabotage and self-abandon and we lose in the end. To start to improve self-awareness, check in with yourself daily with the HALT acronym (Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired?) and begin your journey of uplifting yourself with attending to these basic needs. And then go a little deeper to acknowledge your emotional needs (the need to be loved and respected and to be heard to name a few). Write a few things down to affirm yourself, for example “I can take more breaks” or “I am allowed to ask for help.” It’s ok to have support on this journey towards wellness. A therapist can help you sort through the tools you need to grow in your self-awareness and healing. I encourage you to take the steps towards self-discovery and awareness today.
16
Victoria L. Henry, MS, LMHC, QS Contributing Writer IG@livelightcounseling
Women Wellness
It was in a therapist’s office one day, after years of being overwhelmed and mentally drained, that she made the statement to me, “You have needs that are not being met.” I paused for a moment to reflect on the thought that have needs. For a moment, I was given permission to simply focus on myself and not on others. I was being asked in that moment to consider myself. I was quiet and reflective and suddenly overwhelmed with a sadness that I’d missed me in my pursuit of “things” and people-pleasing. She urged me to take personal accountability for the Importance of prioritizing my mental and emotional needs in addition to my physical needs. What a concept! This was the beginning of a journey of self-awareness and inner healing. I walked out of that space feeling motivated to approach life with fresh eyes.
