Just like we all have physical health, we all have mental health too. In the same way that we care for our body by nourishing it, getting enough sleep, exercising and addressing injuries or illnesses that may arise, it’s important we take care for our mental health as well. We are all different, and each of our minds require different needs based on our environment or on how our body reacts. Because of this, building a self-care toolkit that’s personalized to your needs is so key.
What is Self-Care and Why is it Important?
The words “self-care” and “coping strategies” are used a lot in our world now, but how do they apply to us? We practice self-care to build our resilience and ability to deal with difficult moments life may throw our way and we practice coping skills to respond to those difficult moments and return our body to a state of calm. You can think of self-care in the same spirit of your daily movement practice and coping skills as the response you take to an illness or injury.
There are many types of self-care and coping strategies. Some may work well for you and others will not. Still, other coping strategies won’t be helpful for this time in your life, but you may be surprised later on to find them effective. Being aware of what is helpful for you at this time can make all the difference.
myToolKit.ca: Your Personalized Mental Health Toolkit
mindyourmind wanted to give you a head-start with your mental health toolbox by creating myToolKit.ca. It is an innovative platform that hosts information about your mental health alongside helpful resources to add to your own personal toolkit. This week, we’re “throwing it back” to feature myToolKit.ca, which was created in 2013 and updated in 2019. You can read on for a glimpse of what you’ll find when you visit the site.
Tools You Can Find on myToolKit.ca
- If you are going into high school this year and feeling overwhelmed or experiencing questions about what to expect, On to the Next is a helpful tool. It was created to answer some of those questions around relationships, your social life, the school workload, mental health and what resources are there to support you. You’re not alone in your fears and questions!
- Explore modules AtoZ Stress, AtoZ Wellness, AtoZ Substance Use and more to learn about what they are and find strategies to cope with each area.
- Find quick links to resources like the Be Safe App, the mood. by mindyourmind App, and the Mind eLearning tool.
- Engage with printable resources like the Self-Care Tips poster.
- Express yourself through learning a five day lesson plan for creating narrative through the Dance eLearning tool.
- Build empathy and learn tangible skills to use with the service providers who may be supporting you with Shared Humanity.
If you are currently experiencing a transition or finding your current tools aren’t helping like they used to, take a look through myToolkit.ca. You may find new information, inspiration, or skills you can integrate into your life!
mindyourmind has been around for almost two decades, and we have pretty neat stuff in our history. The idea of Throwback Thursdays (#TBT) started because we want to share this past content and some memorable moments too. When it comes to the mental health landscape, some things have stayed the same, while others continue to evolve.
Stay tuned for our next #TBT!