As a small business owner and a Mum, the overwhelm is real!! Juggling everything and keeping everyone happy is tough. It can be both stressful and lonely, with the to do list ever growing and the laundry pile seeming endless! As it comes to the end of Mental Health Awareness week, I thought I would share with you a few of the things that I do to help my own mental health.
Time out with Brennan! Taking care of B has sometimes felt like the only reason for me to get out of bed! In the past I have suffered periods of depression and without Brennan I don’t know what I would have done!! He is way more than ‘just a horse’ to me. He makes me laugh on a daily basis with his cheeky personality. Caring for him gives me a reason to be outside, to leave the house, no matter the weather. Our stables are so tranquil and peaceful, sometimes a half hour break whilst caring for Brennan is all I need to calm my mind. Horses don’t judge you (unless breakfast is late), they live for the moment. He doesn’t care about everything else I have to do, whether I have turned up in my pjs, or if I should really be listing products on etsy. He just wants to be around me…. Mostly because I am the provider of food.
Being outside! I am useless at sitting still. When I have been sitting at my desk for a while and everything starts to feel like a chore, the best thing I can do is to go outside. Whether that’s lunch in the garden, going for a walk, lunch in my garden or even a trip to the beach, all these help to boost my mood and refocus my energy. Opening my eyes and embracing the beauty around me really helps to put things in to perspective.
Exercise! So my previous go to for cheering myself up was probably cake and chocolate. Sadly, they have calories, and the resulting weight gain was not great for my mental health. I recently joined a gym and signed up with a PT. I have found a love for lifting weights and the feel-good factor of achieving a personal best! Also, that feeling when you have finished your workout (and you get to leave the gym🙈) is pretty good too. The consequences of exercise have also been a massive boost for my mental health, as has the healthier diet, which still involves cake and chocolate!
Talking to a friend or family member! Working from home can be very lonely! Sometimes a quick chat on the phone is all I need to cheer me up. A good catch up can make you feel like you are not alone in your struggles. Opening up to someone else gives you a chance to offload, a chance to be able to relate to others and to realize that it’s perfectly normal to have doubts or to feel like you aren’t good enough.
Music! To me music is therapy! Whether it’s singing along to the radio, having a mix on the decks or getting my glitter on and raving with friends, nothing beats a good dance!