February really is our favourite month at Halcyon Naturals. Not only is it our birthday month, but it also gives us an excuse to spend 28 glorious days (plus a bonus day this year) reflecting on the Halcyon Naturals Way: Self-care and self-love. As part of that we’ve chosen to celebrate Time to Talk Day on February 6.
What is Time to Talk?
Time to Talk is a campaign run by the organisation Time to Change that encourages people to speak about mental health and asks that others create safe spaces in their home, workplace and other spaces for people to share without judgement.
Did you know that 1 in 4 people* who experience a mental health problem hide it for fear of being labelled or ostracised? Typically, the words ‘mental health’ stirs up negative connotations and can be disempowering but the reality is that everyone has mental health. It just manifests itself in different ways.
What does ‘everyone has mental health’ mean?
In the way that living a long life has always been attributed to being in tip top physical shape, more and more people are also being encouraged to consider their mental health too.
In this new world where technology gives us an abundance of information at lightning speed, we can unwittingly experience a whole range of emotions based on what we see and hear.
Whether it’s the euphoria of someone you love sharing good news or watching the devastating effects of the recent bush fires in Australia, everything has an impact on our thoughts and how we feel about ourselves and the world. As the legendary author Bob Proctor says ‘thoughts become things’ so it’s important to be intentional about what you read, listen to and watch on a daily basis.
Sometimes, through no fault of our own, the things we experience as we go about our daily lives can feel quite overwhelming and can stop us dead in our tracks. This can lead to feelings of self-doubt, insecurity and unhappiness. This is why talking as part of your mental self-care is so important.
Why we advocate talking
Though it’s not always easy, speaking to someone you trust about something that’s challenging you can be a good way to start unravelling and exploring your feelings. Whether that’s a friend, a family member or a registered counsellor it’s important to reach out if you need to.
Top tips for having a therapeutic and positive conversation include:
- Choose a time and place where you’re least likely to be interrupted so you can speak freely
- Only talk to someone you feel comfortable with and who won’t dismiss your feelings
- Make sure you have something nice to do after you’ve had a chat if a conversation is particularly heavy
And if you’re the friend listening - Remember you don’t have to have the answers or fix anything. Sometimes it’s ok to just listen
- Take some time to do something nice for yourself afterwards too.
Not quite ready to talk? That’s ok too.
You might want to consider something like journaling which is perfect for helping you process your thoughts. By releasing those feelings onto paper without censoring yourself or even into an electric journal (which you can keep private) you give yourself the freedom to be your truest self. You might also choose to consider meditation which gives you the perfect excuse to sit still for a moment to reconnect with yourself. Even a short five-minute session coupled with breathing exercises can make a world of difference.
You could use candles, diffusers or room mists from our Relate Mood collection – which
includes the scents Love, Friendship and Family – to soothe you and complement your routine. We also have our Release Mood collection which is great for inward reflection.
The most important piece of advice we can give is to reach out to the professionals. Even a quick look on websites such as time-to-change.org, nhs.uk or mind.org.uk or good places to start to start the conversation on getting and maintain positive mental health.
As part of our friendship with you, we’re offering 15% off our product range** for the month of February so you can enjoy our luxury naturals scents as part of your positive mental health routine.
So, remember if things ever get too much grab yourself a brew, light your favourite Halcyon Naturals candle and reach out to a trusted friend. It is always good to talk.
*Statistic taken from the Time to Change website, www.time-to-change.org.uk
**Subscription boxes not included, sorry!