Step Out: May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Bluebell

May is Mental Health Awareness month. I want to bring Mental Health into the forefront this month. It does not mean that we do not recognise that people are struggling with their mental health at other times of the year but May is the designated month when we consciously put time aside to focus on our mental health and the mental health of others.

We all go through low periods and seasons when we are not at our best. Sometimes it might be one thing and other times it might be several things that gets us down.

My challenge to you, is to step out this month and take some time to appreciate the simple things.

Breathe in, feel the wind in your face or the warmth of the sun on your face.

Here are some small steps you can do that cost you nothing:

Look at the leaves on the trees

Have you ever stepped out to just watch the leaves on a tree as the wind blows. I have and it is amazing how God speaks to you through nature. I watch the leaves and there will be some leaves that fall from the tree to the ground and on the same branch there will be other leaves that remain and some of the ones that remain as I watch will be shelter for insects or small birds. Each leaf serving a different purpose.  There will be some leaves which are a bit yellow but are still firmly attached to the branch on the tree and there will be some which are green and yet they have fallen. The ones that fall to the ground continues to fulfill a purpose, protecting some insects or becoming manure for the small plants.

Various Plants

Check out what's new in your garden or outside

I step out and observe the plants in my garden. If you have never planted anything from seeds I encourage you to try it. You will be pleasantly surprised. Planting a seed and watching that seed become a plant and then producing flowers is fascinating. I planted some Cosmos seeds about three weeks a go and seeing these seeds becoming wispy little plants (these are no 2 in the photo) gives me hope. I look forward to these plants producing flowers and beautifying my garden.  The plants in 1,2 and 3 are from seeds. The plants in 4, 5 and 6 are plants that I bought and these come back every year. I love checking these out every spring to see when  the little shoots break ground after winter.

Feel the wind on your face

Sometimes its good to just feel the wind in your face. Not the cold chilly type but the nice breeze you get on a warm day. When I step out and feel the wind on my face it really speaks to me. It reminds that although I cannot see the wind I can feel and see its impact. Similar to my faith, I cannot see God but I can feel and sense his Holy Spirit. I see physically the impact of what God does.

Feel the warmth of the sun on your face

I know this is a hit and miss on some days because of the unpredictable weather patterns where we live. When the sun is out and you could step out and feel that warmth from the sun is another opportunity for me to meditate and think about God. We can look at the sun because of its radiance and its power. It reminds me of Jesus and how powerful and majestic he is and I may not be able to look at him directly because of his radiance.

Bluebell garden in Ashridge

A few weeks ago, I was blessed to go on a social walk with some of my church sisters. We happen to walk around a field of bluebells and it was fantastic. That night after the walk I had the best sleep I had had for a long time.

My last word to you is, it will not cost you anything to step out just for five minutes and breathe and you will be surprised how much better you feel. You owe it to yourself to do it.