Mental Health Goals Check-In
We are three months into 2023... time is not real. On December 30, 2022, we published “Mental Health New Year’s Goals Every LGBTQ+ Person Needs.” The goals included:
Exercise your mind.
Listen to your body.
Surround yourself with people who lift you up.
Now, we want to see how things are going! We’ll share our updates first. We have been exercising our minds by listening to podcasts such as I Think Not! by The Obsessed Network and the DAEBAK SHOW by DIVE Studios. That’s right, we’re true crime AND K-Pop fans (no one is surprised by that).
Since these might not be the most educational shows on the planet, we always did some light reading and enrolled in an online course! It’s important to exercise your mind often, as doing so reduces stress levels and improves mood. We could all benefit from both of these results of mental exercise with all that’s gone on in the last few months... years... decades.
Listen, things have been hectic out here! LGBTQ+ people are already at a higher risk of developing issues with stress and mood as a result of rampant discrimination and violence against the community. So don’t think of your true crime podcast binges as a slightly strange obsession. Instead, remember that you’re keeping your brain healthy!
As for listening to our body, we’ve taken breaks to avoid burnout and said no to a thing or two that our bodies most certainly didn’t have the energy for (sorry not sorry for canceling, you know who). Understanding what your body does and doesn’t need can improve your mental health. In fact, mental health is so intertwined with your physical health and well-being that some might say that...mental health is physical health! Don’t tell the insurance companies we said that though. Even if it’s true.
Listening to your body is also key to overcoming body image issues, which is a struggle many trans+ people experience. You know who you are best, and the only one who needs to accept how you feel about what your body should look like is you. Body image issues can stem from the gender norms society ingrains in us. By tuning out what society says and tuning in to what your mind and body are saying, you can improve your self-image.
When it comes to the goal of surrounding ourselves with people who lift us up, we have gone out more with friends and family who we value spending time with. Instead of staying late in the home office, we’ve been finding and connecting with our community at local events, volunteer opportunities, and maybe a club or two.
Creating a validating circle of friends and family around you can help you feel stable, safe, and welcomed in your community. In a day and age when hate tries to make us hide away and self-isolate out of fear, do yourself and your mental health a favor by doing the exact opposite.
