Mental Health Boot Camp 2.0

Here we go again. I am excited to announce that Mental Health Bootcamp is back.  This time will be even better!

What is a Mental Health Boot Camp?

A Mental Health Boot Camp is at its heart a commitment. It is a commitment to taking care of yourself. For the month of November I will post one self-care exercise every day on my Facebook Page and on Twitter (#mhbootcamp).

The exercises will be relatively short and easy to accomplish within half an hour or less.  The idea is that we make this a group effort. We can support each other in following through on our commitment and hopefully inspire others to get involved. The best way to show our children, friends and families that mental health matters is by being a good role model.

What’s new in Mental Health Boot Camp 2.0?

One of my goals with the Mental Health Boot Camp has been to help us all feel connected. I was overwhelmed last year with how many people reached out to me to thank me and share some stories. It instilled in me a real passion for this event. The point however is not for people to become attached to me. It is for people to feel connected to each other and our community. The point is to have us all slow down and enjoy life rather than run to the next thing on our “To Do” list.

The first new addition to Mental  Health Boot Camp is that there will be an activity once a week that has the option of meeting as a group to do together. Our first group activity will be the Mental Health Boot Camp kick off event.  It will be held on November 1st from 3:00-5:00 at the St. Albert Food Bank and Community Village. (Don’t worry if you can’t be here in person, there will always be tasks posted for those who can’t make for whatever reason).

The second new addition is that throughout the month we will be working on a communal art project.  I am thrilled that my favorite local painter Samantha Williams Chapelsky will be leading us on an easy and fun project that will help us slow down and get in touch with our creative side. I promise that even the most amateur artist will be able to get this one done. My hope is that we will be able to share our work with each other so that we can create something awesome in the end. Kits for the project will be available at the launch and at my office for pick up (send me a message first if you need to arrange to pick one up). We will start the art project on November 4th which will be another of our optional group gathering days.

LAUNCH PARTY

Join us at the St. Albert Food Bank and Community Village (30 – 50 Bellerose Drive) on November 1st from 3:00-5:00.  We will be doing our first activity together. Please bring a donation to the Food Bank and some soul food to share.  Soul food is anything that you eat that brings a smile to your face.  If you don’t have time to whip something up or head to the store, come anyway. We want your presence, not to stress you out. If you are planning on coming please RSVP to me by commenting here, on the Facebook Page or on Twitter so I know how many to prepare for. I can’t wait to spend some time with others focused on their mental health.

Again, if you can’t make it to the launch or any of the other in person events, no worries. The tasks will also be posted online.

Inspirational Ideas from the first Mental Health Boot Camp

Last Boot Camp I got a ton of feedback during the month on how people were getting involved. Many parents told me that they decided to do the Boot Camp as a family to help show their children that self care is learned and a skill that everyone should practice. One woman did the camp with an elderly woman that she was caring for and told me how she modified any exercises to work for them.

I was even asked to go to an Edmonton High School to talk about the Boot Camp. Those students then decided to organize a “Free Hugs” event at their school.

How can I get involved?

The easiest way to get involved is to “Like” my Facebook Page and ask to get notifications for my Page. You can do this by going to my Page, clicking on “Liked” and then selecting “Get Notifications.” Sometimes Facebook is determined not to show everything in your newsfeed, so if you haven’t seen the post for the day, just check on the Page, it will be there. Twitter is a bit easier, just follow me @kristaosborne or use the hashtag #mhbootcamp.

Inspire Other to Get Involved

The more vocal we get about Mental Health Boot Camp the better. It helps other prioritze self-care too. Facebook shows only posts on users timelines that get attention. So make sure to like, comment and share often. I will also send out invitations on Facebook to the face-to-face events. Invite anyone that you think would like to come. If you are following on Twitter don’t forget to retweet.

What Mental Health Bootcamp is NOT

Mental Health Boot Camp is not a replacement for therapy. If you are struggling with things in your life then the Boot Camp can help you slow down and take better care of yourself. It is not a good place to deal with the really hard stuff like loss, trauma and mental illness. We can share our stories during boot camp but be cautious of airing anything online that is too intense, recent or that could make you feel vulnerable later.  I am happy to make referrals and get you connected if you need more help than the boot camp can offer.

Boot Camp is not supposed to stress you out! If you don’t like a task, forgot to do one or just find that you can’t finish the month then don’t worry. Life has too many pressures to add more of them. Feel free to share, modify and ignore anything that doesn’t fit for you and your life.

That’s all you need to know and I hope everyone has as much this time as we all did last time.