Saying Goodbye to 'Mental Health for the Digital Generation'

Goodbyes and transitions are always difficult, even when they're necessary, and are driven by positive reasons. Saying goodbye to all of you who are part of the HealthyPlace community and read the posts on Mental Health for the Digital Generation is definitely not an exception. I've really enjoyed my time here with you. For health reasons, I must say goodbye. 

Sometimes, Stepping Back Is Necessary for Moving Forward

I've thoroughly enjoyed writing these posts for you every other week over the last several months. To me, it's almost like sitting down together and having meaningful conversations. It's a form of connection that, although it isn't face-to-face, is valuable and important to me. Writing about mental health to help people thrive through challenges is meaningful for me, and a key component of a mentally healthy life is to pursue what feels personally meaningful. 

Another key component of mental health and wellbeing is balance. Doing too much or too little can make us stressed on one extreme and lethargic on the other. It's important to be aware of what we're doing and how we're living so we can always make adjustments to maintain a healthy balance between effort and ease. 

It is precisely this awareness that has led me to step back from blogging for HealthyPlace. The digestive and autoimmune disorders I live with require me to respect that balance and place boundaries between working and resting. I've learned that when I ignore the signals my body-mind sends me--even though I'm ignoring them because I want to do something I enjoy--I experience greater pain, less energy, and reduced joy. The quality of my life, both my productive life and my relaxing life, begins to suffer. When I don't listen, my body-mind stops me in my tracks. It's only in listening and stepping back that I can heal so I can move forward and do more of what I love to do. 

That means that, at least for now, I need to stop blogging. I'll still maintain my own website and write books. I just need to cut back a bit. Giving ourselves permission to do what we need to do for our total wellbeing, mental health, and physical health is so vital for our thoughts, emotions, actions, and sense of vitality. 

I Leave You with My Favorite Mental Health Advice

Give yourself straight As. This applies whether you're in school or out of school. You've earned the highest marks just by being who you are. You're uniquely you, and that is worth acknowledging and celebrating. 

You can also give yourself these five As to guide you: awareness, acceptance, attention, "and what else," and action. 

• Awareness--Tune in to yourself, listening to your body-mind for guidance.  
• Acceptance--Allow yourself to be exactly how you are in any given moment. Also, allow challenges and problems to exist without getting hooked by them, trying to judge them, or otherwise caught up in them. When you accept things as they are, you give yourself the ability to deal with them on your terms. 
• Attention--Be mindfully aware, too, of what's happening in your moment, paying attention to the present rather than remaining stuck in thoughts about other things.
• "And what else"--When you find yourself stuck in a problem or ruminating about the past or future, break out of the trap by asking yourself, "And what else?" What else is going on right now that you can focus on instead? 
• Action--What small things can you do every day, every moment, to move closer to what is important to you?

Above all, practice mindful self-compassion. Show up fully and pay attention to yourself--your thoughts, emotions, hopes, and dreams--in every moment, no matter what that moment brings. This will allow you to stay centered and balanced so you can respond intentionally to what's happening rather than reacting impulsively. That is the ultimate path to mental health and wellbeing.