Our organization is committed to fighting racist societal structures within the social determinants of health that limit the ability for Black communities and immigrant, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized populations to thrive in all areas of wellbeing, so that all people and places can thrive. More recently, this work includes working with the Regional Health Council to address mental health in the community and a specific mental health anti-stigma campaign, which we expect to fully launch in August.
We mourn the deaths of George Floyd, James Scurlock, and countless others and stand alongside our community in a cry for change. Senseless deaths are happening every day due to racism, in addition to the disproportionate impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic for minority families, and there is so much work to be done. The Wellbeing Partners is committed to be a part of the solution.
I am a white woman, married to a white man, raising a white daughter. Over a year ago, when my daughter was 11 months old, we were shopping at the dollar store. As we got into line, the black woman in front of us turned and smiled at us. We said hello. She commented on how precious my daughter was, and I thanked her. My daughter then started reaching and squawking for a mylar balloon that was in the checkout lane. Without skipping a beat, the woman ahead of us turned back around and said, “I want to buy one for her—which one does she want?” I tried to tell her no, that it was only a dollar, and that I could get it. She insisted, looked me straight in the eyes, and said, “I want to buy one for her. I want her to know that women who look like me are friendly.”
While the working world figures out how to safely return workers to the workplace and workers figure out how to engage with a new workplace normal, people are increasingly stressed by the aftershock of the Coronavirus. While humans are resilient and adaptable, this Coronavirus situation seems to keep shifting and changing in new ways, constantly adding more frustration and anxiety to an already difficult situation.
Sometimes it feels as if everything around us is dominating our attitude, our choices, our behaviors, our health. If you don’t take care of your own health, who will? Is your body appreciative of the care you’ve been providing? There is no better time than today to start taking better care of you.
Many of us have heard this well-loved quote from this well-loved children’s advocate. It may even be “old news” to you that play is important for children. But have you considered that play may “be the work” of adulthood as well? We’re going to talk a little bit about play and its impact on wellbeing, for both children and adults—why was play so important to Mr. Rodgers and why should it be important to you?
I love a good self-care moment and, like our friends from Grief’s Journey said in their blog, What is Self-Care, Really?, everyone’s self-care looks different. For me, self-care usually means watching Netflix or reading a book in my room with my favorite candle lit and a cooling face mask working its magic. However, COVID-19 has impacted my self-care just as I’m sure it has yours.
It’s Mental Health Awareness Month and I wanted to share part of my story. I was diagnosed with anxiety in 2017, just a few months after having my first child. Becoming a mother broke open my emotions with such power; it knocked me down HARD. Before my baby, I had a false confidence that I was in control and that no one had to know when I was struggling. Feeling down? Just be positive, Sheena! Don’t let people doubt that you got this! But it wasn’t working.
Grief’s Journey is a member of The Wellbeing Partners who offer free grief services for all ages. They launched several COVID-19 support resources, including a guide for talking to children about COVID-19, a guide for saying goodbye when you can’t hold a funeral, and weekly online education about ambiguous grief, types of loss, supporting grieving youth, and more. Consider donating to them to support continued services during the pandemic.
During these unprecedented times, your mindset is probably the last thing you are concerned about. After all, how is your mindset going to help you put food on the table when you just got laid off? How is it going to help you juggle homeschooling your kids while you are working from home? And how is it going to help you find precious resources in short supply? (Hello hand sanitizer and toilet paper!) Well, your mindset will determine how you react to all of these situations. And the beauty is it’s all under your control.