Editor's opinion: No-vember is the best excuse, and time to practice saying 'No' to all things that don't align with personal well-being.
'No Nut November', 'Movember' and exercises for better focus this month
Many phrases have been coined out of 'November' that have marked the month as one of the personal health calendar events. Mental health (self health) is not a one-time event though, it is a lifestyle that keeps you physically, psychologically and socially well. But we all need the support, even in form of reminders, to watch our health.
None of these are replacements for seeking professional help.
Here are five exercises to join for the rest of the month in order to build a strong routine that will turn into a well of healthy habits you use almost automatically.
Reminder: Refer to the editor's opinion above.
1. Thought Record
This clinical approach is the equivalent of giving yourself a minor surgery, instead of waiting to have a big problem that will require a trained professional.
Check out: Thought Record worksheet
Keeping a 'Thought Record' is an amazing tool to help change thoughts and thought patterns. It is used by therapists to teach people about how their feelings, behaviours and thoughts interact to create personal experiences.
It is a great practice for reshaping and restructuring the mind against negative and irrational thoughts.
2. Worry Tree
The Worry Tree is designed to suport change in how you think about the things that worry you. You start at with the immediate issue giving rise to the worry, and as you go deeper, you start to get new perspective on what is going on with you.
It was developed in 1995 by Butler and Hope to help people focus their attention during times of stress in order to make better decisions.
Essentially, you break down your wory into bits to help you see other outcomes and get options instead of turning it into a catastrophe.
3. Chunking
This problem-solving technique refers to the breaking down of large amounts of information into small pieces. It involves grouping separate bits of information together, which is a skill on its own, but it can be used to solve problems. It gives you the bigger picture of any issue.
It sieves through the information in two ways: 'chunking up' refers to moving to a more general piece of information, while 'chunking down' means moving to more specific or detailed information.
Check out: Chunking problem solving worksheet
In chunking down, you give yourself room to figure out how you did something or why you think something happened. Chunking also analyse events and their patterns in order to see underlying causes. It can be a great goal building tool as you filter through what something means or what you were trying to achieve.
4. No Nut November
This internet joke turned social event is backed by over 52,000 subscribers (as of 2019) who believe that abstinence from sex, masturbation, watching pornography and ejaculation has health benefits.
It started in 2010 and became famous on social media in 2017. It is associated with the NoFap community on Reddit, which encourages its members not to masturbate. There are yet to be verified claims to the health benefits by scientists.
5. Movember
This annual event involves men growing moustaches in November to bring awareness to the issues affecting men's health. These issues include prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and men's suicide. It is coined from the Australian-English diminutive word for moustache, "mo"and "November". It's goal is to "change the face of men's health."
It encourages men ('Mo Bros') to join the rally to increase early detection of cancer, its diagnosis and treatments, and prevention of mental health problems.
We should not worry too much about mental health in itself. It is tied to other aspects of individual and society life. Endeavour to live your mental health, rather than thinking or talking about it.
If we spend time and energy thinking about how we are living, when do we actually live? Its like living in the gym working out, when will you enjoy the health, agility and confidence from your new physique? Mental health is a way of life, if not the basis of living well, but should not become living itself.
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