Dying Matters

April saw stress awareness month come and go and last week was mental health awareness week, from striving to thriving, it was also dying matters awareness week. All of these issues are interrelated. Ultimately we all need to allow ourselves time and space to acknowledge that life throws at us many challenges and we need to give ourselves time and permission to look after ourselves, re-pace and re-assess our situation. In fact, it is essential that we look after ourselves.

You may have noticed I haven’t been blogging about these important issues, especially as a CEO of a mental health charity. So what have I been doing?  I’ve been taking my own medicine, heeding my own advice and generally dealing with the slow passing of my step-mother who died last month after a long battle with cancer.

Sometimes something has to give and so blogging (and a few other things of course!) fell off my list of things that needed doing, and I have been prioritising looking after myself.

So what has this to do with you all I hear you ask? Only this; sometimes we have to slow down in order to be able to deal effectively with the challenges we face, whether that be at home or at work. Slowing down enables us to deal more effectively with the truly important issues, to do those things that are real priorities and let the rest wait a while. I like to think I can set a good example, to model appropriate behaviour, to acknowledge that some things are truly not urgent and to repeat over and over, look after yourself. Continue to actively pursue 5 ways to well-being, however that looks to you, and focus on being compassionate to yourself.

In the busy world we live in, in the emotional world of mental health, remember – you can’t pour from an empty cup.

Ruth Kettle