Mental Health America of Greater Dallas’ Post

🎄25 Days of Self-Care: Day 16🎄 December 16: Master the Art of Saying “No” The holidays are a season of giving—but that doesn’t mean giving until you’re completely drained. Knowing your limits is a form of self-care, and saying “no” can actually be one of the kindest things you do for yourself and others. Here’s a perspective shift: “I’m not saying no to you; I’m saying yes to me.” 💛 Saying no kindly but firmly helps you avoid burnout and ensures you can show up as your best self when it really matters. Remember, it’s OK to set boundaries. In fact, it’s necessary. How do you handle saying no during the holidays? Let’s chat in the comments! ⬇️ #SelfCare #25DaysOfSelfCare #HealthyBoundaries #HolidayWellness #FCCS

The holiday season is often the busiest time of year, and prioritizing self-care can make all the difference. Whether it’s setting aside a few minutes of quiet time, engaging in a favorite hobby, or simply pausing to take a few deep breaths, small self-care practices can go a long way toward maintaining balance and well-being. 🌿 As you navigate your seasonal to-do lists, remember that taking care of yourself helps you bring your best self to every aspect of life. How do you prioritize self-care during the holidays? #HolidayWellness #SelfCareMatters #RDLLC

🎄 Self-Care During the Holidays 🕊️ The holiday season can be a time of joy, connection, and celebration—but it can also bring stress for many reasons. Whether it's navigating busy schedules, managing family dynamics, or coping with personal challenges, this time of year can feel overwhelming. Remember, self-care isn't selfish; it's essential. Take time to check in with yourself, set boundaries, and prioritize what truly brings you peace. Small moments of care can make a big difference. How do you practice self-care during the holidays? Share your tips below! 💬 #SelfCare #HolidayWellness #StressManagement #Essentialptwellness

🌲Time for some (s)elf-care! These tips can help you and your clients regulate during the busy holiday season: https://hubs.la/Q02-P4G10

Here’s a reminder to book that all important holiday. The day before annual leave can be THE. WORST. Clearing the to-do list, writing hand overs, closing loops. Sometimes I wonder, “Is it actually worth it?” The answer is always yes. I stumbled across the shocking statistic that over 60% of Brits don’t take all their annual leave. Reasons include feeling pressured by management (WTF?), fear of falling behind or just being too damn busy.  Holidays are often skipped to get through busy periods, with the thought of “I’ll take time off when it’s a bit quieter”. Spoiler alert- there’s never a perfect time to take annual leave. There will always be deadlines, pitches, shoots; that’s the nature of the beast. Management clearly has more to do in creating cultures where people feel they can take time off without the guilt. Not because it’s a legal right but because not taking time off is detrimental to you. This Mental Health Awareness week, alongside all the other amazing initiatives, I challenge you to get some days booked off. Even if it’s just to chill out for a few days and do nothing (unless you're into Gruffalo hunts like we are!!). If anything, I reckon it will only help nourish our creativity!

#WellnessWednesday! 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬' 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬! 🎄🤒 Why do I always get sick on my days off? 🤒🎄 You've worked hard all year and survived countless deadlines, and when you finally get some time to relax… BOOM! Sniffles, a sore throat, and that all-too-familiar misery show up uninvited. What gives?! It turns out there are some very common reasons; we love this article explaining why! 'https://lnkd.in/gNxw9DZZ #HealthTips #HealthAwareness #SelfCare

As the holiday season approaches, I’ve been reflecting on the exhaustion many of us are feeling. The expectations this time of year can be overwhelming—whether it’s managing family dynamics, work, gatherings, or the end-of-year to-do lists. On top of that, the recent election has stirred up intense emotions, leaving many of us feeling unsettled, stressed, and uncertain. It’s a lot to carry. Given all this, I want to invite you—this year and every year—to give yourself permission to move at your own pace. It’s okay to slow down. It’s okay to say no. It’s okay to prioritize what truly matters to you. In my latest blog, I share some thoughts on how we can approach the holidays with more intention and less pressure. It’s about recognizing when we’re stretching ourselves too thin and finding simple ways to reconnect with ourselves amidst the busyness. This holiday season, I’m embracing softness, community, and presence, and I invite you to take a moment to check in with yourself and think about what you want to prioritize during this time.

A holiday 'penscription.' Join us at First Holidays, a safe, nurturing space where those who are navigating grief due to loss during the holidays can gather to reflect, create, connect, and move toward healing. This Zoom gathering is designed to help lift your spirits by being in community with others who “get it.” Whether you choose to share, write, or sit quietly in the presence of understanding hearts, this gathering is to remind you that you are not alone. Please RSVP here: https://bit.ly/49CnUdo or go to link in bio. (I coined "penscriptions" as wellness actions that you self-prescribe in writing to reinforce your commitment and help you follow through!) #emotionalwellness #selfcare #thewritingdoula #penscriptions

Use your sick days. This should not be a controversial statement. Yet somehow it is. I mean, first of all, if you're sick, stay home. I don't want your flu. I certainly don't want your child's pinkeye. It is not 'dedication to the company' to knock out a third of the workforce because you sneezed in the kitchen. It is a disservice to your team to come in at 20% capacity and force everyone else to have worse days because they are carrying your extra weight. But beyond that, don't work when you're sick. Don't it it. Just stop. It is a deep, deep kind of toxicity to give me something and then tell me to never use it. But, I hear you say, if we didn't offer sick time, we'd never get the right talent! There you go. That's your answer. Unless you are going to be honest to your new hires about the perks you will be denying them, sick time is as much guaranteed to them as your expense policy is. Use your sick days. But, I hear you say again, because man do you have a lot to say today, we can't be down a team member! We need them here today to make our deadline! That is not your your team member's problem. That is a staffing problem, or a scope problem. Do you understand how insanely thin margins you need to be running on that you can't afford one person to be gone for one day? That is a management problem. That is a budgeting problem. That is a "Your PM is an amateur and decided that including time for contingency in any capacity is for quitters" problem. It's a "Your CEO lives in a fantasy land and will throw bodies into the gears to grease a machine he shouldn't be running" problem. It's a "They're a systemic bottleneck and can't possibly bear for someone else to make any decision on any aspect of the project" problem. But I'll say it again; that is not your team member's problem. They are here to do a specific thing; it's why you hired them, and it's why they're there. And if they don't think they can do that thing today, trust them. Let them rest. Let them be the best version of the person you need to do the thing, so you can get the best version of the thing you need. Use your sick days.

My honest advice for anyone struggling during the holidays. It’s okay to not feel okay. I know that sounds pretty crap to read especially when you are going through your own emotions and challenges, where it feels like nothing will help at the moment… but honestly things will get better. The pressure to be “happy” or “perfect” can be overwhelming and those endless Chirstmas ad’s don’t always help. But my advice is to take time for yourself, set boundaries, and lean on the support of those who care. You’re not alone during this time and it’s perfectly fine to ask for help when you need it. Be gentle with yourself 💖 #HolidaySelfCare #MentalHealthMatters #YouAreNotAlone #BeGentleWithYourself #TakingCare