Mental Health Month ‘Tune in’

Mental Health Month began yesterday with the theme – Tune in.

The idea of ‘tune in’ is to take a moment today, tomorrow, or some other day this month to be aware of the present moment and what is happening around you. If you are catching up with friends or family, be sure to tune in and ask if they have been doing okay lately.

Tuning in meaning taking moments to be present and be aware of what’s happening around you. Tune in when you’re catching up with friends or family. Tune in to what’s happening in the community, are their events happening around Mental Health Month?

So many of us are have been isolated and restricted in terms of what we can do and whom we can see, and this has made it really hard to tune in to what’s going on in someone else’s life. The apparent changes when you see someone every day become less obvious via phone calls, Zoom or Google Meet.

Restrictions have taken a massive toll on everyone’s mental health, and with the roadmap to ‘freedom’ unveiled, this month will be an opportunity to see family, friends and colleagues. It’s important to use this time to tune in with the people close to us.

Ensure we ask those important questions. Are you okay? How have you been? What’s difficult in your life? How do you feel about things? And ensure that we are present for those answers and prepared to talk about any problems the person might be having.

Whether it’s work, family or friends, please use this time to tune in. Whether it be Tuesday at work – take 10 minutes for everyone to catch up on their weekend and ask how they have been feeling. Maybe see if anyone needs any help or support.

Tune in with yourself. If you catch yourself waiting for something, sit down and take that minute to tune in with yourself. There might not be anything wrong but sometimes, even just giving yourself that time every day can help you notice if something is off.

Whomever you’re tuning in with this month, be sure to listen without judgement and offer help if needed.