On Saturday, my husband, daughter and I went to one of our favorite parks. The weather was beautiful, and some of the trees’ leaves have begun to change colors. We walked on trails and along a lake for about an hour. Then, a little tired but happy, we went to Chili’s for lunch.
I didn’t think about all the cruddy things going on in the country or the world. Not once. My feel-good endorphins were flowing and I felt so much at peace. It was like being at the beach, sitting on the sand watching the waves roll in, smelling the salt spray, and listening to the sounds of incoming waves. It was a much-needed break from reality.
I’ve been seeing a lot of articles lately focusing on mental health days and why they are so important. In fact, today is World Mental Health Day. About a week ago, I read an article about the survey CNN and Kaiser Family Foundation conducted. A whopping 90% of Americans believe we’re experiencing a mental health crisis. Sadly, I wasn’t surprised the percentage was so high, that nearly every single person is under stress for some reason. It could be because of covid or the threat of democracy or fear of not being able to manage because of rising prices.
Some stressors and anxieties can’t be dealt with so easily. In terms of the threat to democracy, our power is in the vote. We have to hope enough people care enough about preserving our Constitution to vote. It’s a lingering stressor/anxiety. That’s why we need mental health days, to clear our minds of all the negative crap.
For us, a wonderful break is to go into nature, either to a park or to the beach. Talking about the negative stuff is verboten while we’re on this brief mental health vacation. When we have to return to reality, we’re a little more energized.
Here’s another good article about taking a mental health break.
Leaving you with some photos from our walk at the park.
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