Emancipation Nation

Episode 199: Proactive Mindset for Mental Health: The Holiday Edition

November 14, 2023 Celia Williamson, PhD Season 3 Episode 199
Emancipation Nation
Episode 199: Proactive Mindset for Mental Health: The Holiday Edition
Show Notes Transcript

November is here and the holiday season is upon us. Amidst the hustle, bustle, and extra stress, the Emancipation Nation's gift is to you is to offer strategies to maintain and enhance your mental health during the season. Thus, I've curated a survival kit of powerful, clear, and concise tips to help navigate these additional pressures. Let's dive together into the art of managing emotions.

Keeping your mental health in check isn't all about reactive strategies, it's about fostering a proactive mindset. We'll explore the profound connection between your thoughts, feelings, and actions, and how altering one can impact the others. The essence of these discussions will revolve around the power of positive self-talk and the transformational impact it can have on your daily life. The Emancipation Nation podcast isn't merely about doing something; it's about doing the best thing. We're here to guide you through the festive season and beyond, furthering the fight for freedom. Stay tuned, subscribe and let's continue our journey to emancipation, one episode at a time.

Speaker 1:

You know the why human trafficking work is needed To fight for the freedom of modern day slaves. But love, passion, commitment isn't all you need to be an effective and successful anti-trafficking advocate. Learn the how. I'm Dr Celia Williamson, director of the Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute at the University of Toledo. Welcome to the Emancipation Nation podcast, where I'll provide you with the latest and best methods, policy and practice discussed by experienced experts in the field, so that you can cut through the noise, save time and be about the work of saving lives. Welcome to the Emancipation Nation episode 199.

Speaker 1:

I'm Dr Celia Williamson and it is almost the middle of November and you know what that means. That means the holidays are right around the corner and we are still working our jobs and trying to take care of our families, and many of us are planning our menus and have to grocery shop and cook or get out there and purchase our gifts or get online and purchase gifts, and it's just a little more added stress to our life during this time of year. So here's a little short episode on how to improve your mental health in the moment. I found this online. I think it's very powerful and very clear and concise and it says if you feel like everyone hates you, eat. It will improve your mood. If you feel like you hate everyone, sleep. If you feel like you hate yourself, shower. If you feel like everyone hates everyone, go outside. Change your environment for the moment.

Speaker 1:

If you feel overwhelmed by your thoughts, write them down. If you feel lost and alone, call a friend. If you feel stuck in the past, plan for the future. If you feel anxious about the future, focus on the present. If you feel you're not enough, list your achievements. If you feel you can't control anything, organize something small. If you feel unloved, do something kind for yourself. If you feel no one understands, express yourself creatively. If you feel restless, take a long walk. If you feel like giving up, remember a time you succeeded. If you feel invisible, help someone in need. If you feel too much pressure, do a simple task you enjoy. Those things will help you in the moment to get through the holidays in a good mood and appreciating family and other loved ones.

Speaker 1:

And in the long term, consider this If you think the way you've always thought, then you'll always feel the way you've always felt. And if you always feel the way you always felt, then you'll always do what you've always done. If you always do what you've always done, then you'll always get what you've always gotten. And if you always get what you've always gotten, then you will always think what you always thought. So pay attention to your self-talk.

Speaker 1:

Pay attention, because a lot of times you can control whether you're going to feel good that day or not feel good that day. It's true, a lot of it is about attitude. So if you change your thoughts, you can change the way you feel, and if you change the way you feel, you will do something that is more helpful to you, more helpful to other people, and, in turn, what you do will benefit the way you think and feel. So thinking, feeling, doing it's all wrapped up together and it's all controlled largely by you. Until next time the fight continues, let's not just do something, let's do the best thing. If you liked this episode of Emancipation Nation, please subscribe and I'll send you the weekly podcast. Until then, the fight continues.