Mental Health Boot Camp: Week 1

Welcome to the first week of Mental Health Boot Camp. Wondering what this is all about? Read this post to learn more. Now, away we go!

Theme for the Week:  Foundations

Have you ever read Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?  It is a theory in psychology that basically states that before a person can deal with existential issues like, fulfillment, meaning and spirituality, there are foundational things that need to be in place like food, shelter, and safety.  In other words, if you aren’t taking care of the basics of life than you can’t hope to deal with the more complex things.

This week in our Boot Camp we are going back to basics.  We are going to focus on slowing down for a few minutes a day and relearning some basic skills that most of us take for granted.  The temptation will be to do all of these things at once.  Try to focus your energy on one small task each day.  That way you can be mindful and prioritze the time you are spending with yourself.

Once you are done your task for the day, post on the comments section of my Facebook account for the day or make a post on Twitter using the hashtag #mhbootcamp.

Saturday Senses: Day 1  

Task:  Pick a Theme Song

What is a good Boot Camp without a good theme song?  Like in any good Boot Camp the trick is in the commitment and follow through.  You are going to be drawn to some of the activities and be resistant to trying out others for a variety of reasons.  If you are reading this then you see some value in doing something for your mental health. So let’s do it.

In a boot camp the trick is staying motivated.  So today I want you to pick a theme song to help you stay motivated and keep trying all 28 days.  If you have trouble coming up with one, watch what others come up with for their Mental Health Boot Camp theme song.   Once you have one picked let us all know on Twitter (#mhbootcamp) or on my Facebook page (use the comment section on the daily post so everyone can see your comment).  Make sure to put your song on your phone or ipod so that you can use it throughout the month to keep you going.

Silly Sunday: Day 2

Task: Sing

“Don’t always believe what you think.”  This is a quote used often by cognitive behavioural therapists.  The idea is that we spend a lot of time analyzing and re-analyzing what is going on in our lives rather than just being.  For today’s Silly Sunday I want you to have a bit of fun.  I want you to sing.  Sing in the shower, your car or anywhere else.   You can do this alone or together.  If this isn’t something you do normally you will feel a bit silly.  That is kind of the point.  Sing loud and with abandon and keep doing it until you relax and enjoy.  The idea is to get out of your head and into the moment.  Keep singing until you really get into it.  Don’t forget to let us know how it goes.

Manic Monday: Day 3

Task:  Belly breathing

Breathing is the easiest way to settle and centre yourself.  There has been a great deal of research that shows that 20 min of belly breathing a day can decrease stress, increase coping and has great physical benefits to your health.  Most people breathe into their chests which works fine but doesn’t give you the same benefit as belly breathing.  The best way to know if you are doing it right is to lay on the floor and put your hand on your stomach.  You know you are doing it right if your breathing moves your hand up and down.  Today I want you to lay on the floor and belly breath for 5 min.  Try to focus just on your breathing.  This can be tricky as, if you are at all like me, your mind will wander.  No worries, just bring your thoughts back to your breath.  The temptation will be to listen to music or something else.  Resist.  We aren’t very often alone with ourselves in silence.  I want you to try.  Quiet is good for clarity and centering.

Belly Breathing is something I hope you will start doing everyday as part of your Boot Camp.

Tension Tuesday: Day 4

Task: Drink Water

Our minds and our bodies are intimately connected.  Many of us take this for granted in our busy lives.  The quickest way to take care of your mental health is to take care of your physical health.  In times of crisis I often remind people to go back to the basics.  Are you eating, drinking enough water, sleeping and getting some exercise?  Believe it or not, just focusing on your water consumption can go a long way towards coping with life better.  Today I want you to drink lots of water.  It is a good idea whether you are having a good day or a crappy one.  So pull out a water bottle and carry it around with you for the day.   Notice how you feel.  Don’t forget to post.

Weird Wednesday: Day 5

Task: Breathing in to pain

I have a client that thinks I have some kind of voodoo magic.  While we are talking he often finds himself getting a headache.  At the end of a session I often get him to focus on the headache and breathe it out.  He says it is magic.  It isn’t.  Pain is largely a psychological thing.  While pain neurons fire in your brain if there is something wrong, your brain can decide to notice it or ignore it.  You know how when you get a paper cut and it hurts like crazy but if you are busy or distracted you barely notice.  Our brains are wired to be able to deal with pain and when necessary ignore it.  Believe it or not you can train yourself to eliminate much of the pain you feel.

Today I want you to focus on something that doesn’t feel right.  Could be a headache, a sore muscle or anything you may be experiencing. First, I want you to do a bit of belly breathing.  Then put your hand on the area that hurts or is tense.  While belly breathing, I want you to imagine the heat of your hand dissolving the pain.  Imagine each breath going into to area. Keep breathing until the pain is gone or lessened.   Weird isn’t it?

Thoughtful Thursday: Day 6

Task:  Watch a TEDTalk

Sometimes social media gets a bad rap.  Yes it can turn us into zombies, blindly checking for status updates and playing mind numbing games but it also has us sharing some pretty great stuff.  On thoughtful Thursdays I am hoping we can take the time to stimulate our thinking about mental health.  Here are two of my favorite TEDTalks that help us think differently about mental health.  For today’s task, pick one of these and watch it.  If you have seen them both then share something with us that you found inspiring.

 

Forward Friday: Day 7

Task: Compliment someone.

I think Forward Fridays (as in Pay-it-Forward) will be my favorite day during our Boot Camp.  Helping other people is an excellent way to get out of your own head space and into a better way of thinking.  Today I want you to go out of your way to compliment someone.  I don’t mean your everyday kind of compliment.  I want you to be purposeful and deliberate.  You can do this task however you like.  It can be as big or small as you want it to be.  It could be a nice note, or thank you.  You can make a day of it and compliment everyone you meet or make it special for one person.  The compliment must be genuine and heartfelt.  You can blame it on me by saying you are doing it as part of your Boot Camp.  Make sure to let us know how it goes.

So that is Week One.  I will post each day’s task  on Facebook and Twitter as a reminder.  Have fun and take care of yourself!