Mental Health Day

Yesterday I took a much needed mental health day. I posted on facebook "Self care before self destruct...mental health day today. Trust me, I've been down the self destruct path and if you need one...take one!" While I was out and about I ran into a friend who had seen my status update and asked what I was doing for my mental health day.  After our conversation I got to thinking that once upon a time I had no idea what a mental health day was or how to execute one. Many people sacrifice their self care because they feel they are being selfish when take time for themselves and neglect other responsibilities. Those responsibilities may be work related, school, household or family responsibilities. There may be others but these are the ones I can personally relate to...

I'm not going to take you down my path of self destruction but I do want to share with you my current efforts to maintain balance and good mental health in my life now. First, I plan my mental health day and actually put it on my calendar. I choose a day when my kids have few or if I'm really lucky, no school or sport events.  I plan it so that I can get any of my responsibilities taken care of before the day comes (house cleaning, laundry, errands etc.) I also plan it so that I can have certain things ready for myself, for example I make sure my favorite shirt is clean.

Here's what a typical mental health day might include, the things I always do are marked with an *:
* wear my favorite shirt
* wear perfume
* lunch at Chipotle...it's always the same, fajita burrito bowl with peppers, onions, black beans, mild salsa, sour cream and extra cheese.
* a stop at Starbucks. I actually go in and enjoy my Venti Mocha, no whip in the store and listen to the music, enjoy the aroma and people watch
* drive the speed limit and make complete stops at ALL stop signs
- watch a favorite movie that provides either a good laugh or a good cry depending on what I need or a new one from my list of movies that I want to see
- spend time in a favorite store, usually a bead store or a paper store
- download some new music to my Ipod
- indulge with a favorite candy, usually Swedish Fish, Twizzlers Cherry Nibs, or Jelly Belly jellybeans
- take a nap
- make an impulse purchase
- paint, scrapbook, play with beads, sew, knit...
- take pictures

If you've never taken a mental health day or it's been too long, take one, soon! I promise you'll be a better mom, wife, friend, employee (insert noun of your choice here) for it!!

Speaking of pictures here are a few from yesterday...

Some tags I painted and inked and a mini stencil I made...

YUM!!

My impulse purchase...$2 grab bag from Michael's. Granted, most of it I will not use but the 3 little chairs are a altering project waiting to happen and my cat can be a pimp for Halloween next year! Score!!