Be kind to your mind
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Laura’s reminder to be kind to your mind
October is Mental Health Month. I wanted to check in with a reminder to be kind to your mind and that it’s okay to not be okay.
I recently shared on the KICPOD my experience with one of the worst panic attacks I have ever had. My body has been in flight or fight mode for a while, in between a lot of work events, campaigns, shoots and marathon training, everything was building up with high intensity. Fast.
With that intensity came an intense comedown. For anyone that has had panic attacks, my heart goes out to you. They can be really hard to explain and really scary to experience. I was lucky to be safe in my own home when it happened and to have Dalton by my side, but it really knocked me around and I unfortunately did not feel okay for quite a while after it.
Around 40 per cent of Australians will have a panic attack once or twice in their lives (Beyond Blue), so if you’ve experienced this before, know that you’re not alone. Sometimes you may not realise that your body is building up to a panic attack, but being kind to your mind and checking in with yourself can help you keep your mind in check.
Here’s a few ways that I’m consciously [trying] to give my nervous system the rest it needs:
Switching off
This is easier said than done and I love engaging with you guys, our wonderful Kic community! But switching off can mean more than deleting your social apps on your phone. Whether it’s the constant influx of social notifications, work emails or requests, it can be a lot for our brains, so if you can, taking a few hours for you a day away from your screen can have amazing impacts.
Prioritising sleep
Sleep is a really important factor for our mental wellbeing. This is a tricky one as stress and anxiety can sometimes make us feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. Then, the temptation to stay up later and compromise on sleep can get stronger. As tempting as it can be to finish off those emails in bed, I’ve realised that sacrificing sleep exacerbates stress and reduces my ability to deal with daily challenges.
If I’m finding that my thoughts are racing a little too much before bed, Meg’s ‘Winding down for sleep’ meditation in the Kic app is my go to!
Know that you’re human, you can only do what you can!
This is another one which I’m trying to get better at (I promise!). We can often think that we need to get everything done immediately and place so much pressure on ourselves to achieve things constantly, but we need to remember to slow it down. It’s okay to take it one step at a time and remember that you cannot pour from an empty cup. Not as much is as urgent as we think.
Focus on your breath
For days when I’m feeling my heart race a little more, I make sure to take 5 just for me. Sometimes before interviews or important meetings, my anxiety can pique a little. So I like to use our ‘Four part breath’ Kic meditation to ground me and bring me calm within my body.
Whether you’ve experienced panic attacks, anxiety or even stress from everyday life demands, when you start to feel that adrenaline rising, take that as a reminder to slow down and choose one way to be kind to your mind. Sending you the biggest love. Take care of yourself, and remember that you are safe, loved and supported.
Love, Laura xox
