Let's Talk About Mental Health

Mental health.

It’s more than just a buzzword – it’s a critical component of our overall health and wellness that desperately needs a rebranding to break down the walls of stigma and shame.

But, what do those words — mental health — really mean?

Does mental health mean you have an undeniable zest for life? Or Is it code for, I’m struggling with a mental illness? Why do those two words conjure up such confusion and such stigma? 

We have a branding problem. 

For me, health is a fusion of mental and physical health. They are inextricably related, with best practices for each. 

After 25 years of being a sport and performance psychologist, I’ve come to clarity that mental health requires an investment. If you want to flourish, if you want to live with a zest for life, it requires developing a very specific set of psychological skills.  

If someone asks, "How’s your physical health?" you wouldn’t hesitate to tell them you are feeling good apart from the tendinitis in your wrist, or the pain in your back that’s limiting your workouts.

But if that person inquires about your mental health, you are less likely to open up about the mild depression you are feeling or the anxiety that interferes with work. Chances are the question about your mental health wouldn’t get asked at all because conversations about mental health are still something that happen behind closed doors.  

I believe that to get mental health conversations out in the open more — we have to make it a way of living. 

We must make it a daily priority in the choices we make and the actions we take.

Why?

Mental health is something you do — just like working out, just like eating healthy, just like taking care of your physical body. 

Mental health requires investment and training.

Mental health is a maintenance practice.

In the same way we prioritize our physical health by exercising, eating well, and seeking medical attention when needed, we also need to prioritize our mental health by practicing self-care, connecting with others, and seeking support when needed. 

And to be clear — I’m not saying it’s easy, or minimizing it.  

If you are really struggling right now, I highly encourage you to seek professional help. It's one of the most beneficial things you can do to invest in yourself. There are so many great resources out there just a click, a call, or a search away.

In addition to seeking professional help, which we can all benefit from, here are some other ways I think about pursuing good mental health.

Good mental health is not about the absence of symptoms — it’s not the absence of depression, anxiety, or mental disorder. 

Good mental health - for me - is this concept of pursuing a zest for life. It’s in the daily practices. It’s in the connections we make. It’s in the relationships we cultivate.

To have that zest for life on a consistent basis, I need to invest in the consistency. There’s a whole set of practices that you’re probably well aware of — meditation, exercising, being kind to people, being out in nature. But life is tough and we can get caught in the roll, in the grind, in the complexity of relationships, of community, of being in the world.

Sure, all those ‘feel good’ solutions can feel minimizing or trite.  

But if we don’t integrate them into the rhythm of our lives, how can we hope to build and sustain a fully realized life with a positive mental experience?

So, with the abundance of articles, resources, and advice content out there… I’m not going to tell you to do fifty things.

I have just one actionable recommendation for you to pursue this concept of integrating the maintenance practice of mental health into your daily life:

Take a moment and check in with someone.

Maybe it’s a call. A visit. A walk.

Check in with a person in your life. It’s that simple. It’s that easy.

It will do someone else a ton of good. And it will do you a ton of good.

Reach out whether you’re struggling or whether you’re on solid ground. Reach out if the other person is struggling or if they seem like they’re on solid ground. They’re both equally important.  

You never know how powerful checking in on someone is.

What underpins this practice is a vulnerability that creates connection and helps support a critical component for mental health. In order to make it work, there needs to be that vulnerability. 

The only way out of any negative experience is a 365-day commitment to taking care of yourself — physically AND mentally. The relationship you hold with yourself, with others, and with your future is so important. 

It might be Mental Health Awareness Month, but I hope we can move forward in making Mental Health Awareness extend beyond a month—to a decade, a year, to your entire life. To bring meaningful change, we must take small steps of consistent action.  

Cultivate human connection often and as best as you can. 

It is one of the most important keys to mental health. 

Again, I encourage you to take some time and check-in on someone. It will do both of you worlds of good.  

With fire (and zest),

Mike