Keep being you this World Mental Health Day
As the saying goes, "everyone else is taken"
Today is World Mental Health Day and the theme is ‘Mental Health is a universal human right’.
How powerful is that?! I just love the punch, the unapologetic oomph of it.
I began writing a missive about whether it’s our responsibility to support our mental health or whether it’s up to our boss, our employer, our manager, our clients.
But it wasn’t quite sticking.
So I deleted it. And here’s a short and sweet message instead.
This World Mental Health Day, keep being you. Keep doing what works for you.
I have been celebrating more and more my ‘weird’ side, my silliness, my shameless ‘Jennyness’. And people have messaged to say they like how I keep it real, and to ‘keep being me’.
The thing is, being me always felt like a bad thing.
I have as many of us have, I think, often wondered if I’m good enough, and whether being me is the right way to be. I’ve tried to fit in so much, and I’m sure you have too.
I know I can write this from a place of privilege, too: I am able to access healthcare. I’ve been able to pay for therapy in the past and written about the experience.
I have a job so I can fund the middle-class self-care basics (baths, getting my nails done, walking the dogs, nice food, cheesy TV, cosy blankets).
But I still have a mind which tells me things I don’t want to know, which interferes, which has needed sertraline and has benefited from talking to a professional about mental health challenges.
Here’s my message: Today, if you’re worrying about being you, here’s permission to do just that. Be you, embrace being you, be your very weird and wonderful self. There’s a reason everyone loved Weird Barbie the most.
Jenny x
P.S. If you need help, and support go to the Mental Health Foundation page