This Mental Health Week shines a spotlight on the healing power of compassion!
Compassion in our relationships helps us feel understood and deeply connected. By embracing the warmth and kindness of others, we can get through life's challenges better. It's equally important to extend this kindness to ourselves, especially during difficult times, as it helps us better manage mistakes, failures, and other obstacles.
Learn more about the benefits of being compassionate.
Let's celebrate Mental Health Week by practicing compassion towards both ourselves and others.
Compassion
Compassion for yourself |
Self-compassion is a skill we can learn to nurture. It involves treating ourselves with the same kindness and understanding we would offer to a good friend facing a challenge. Growing our self-compassion can create a sense of safety within ourselves. It can reduce anxiety and negative thoughts and equip us to tackle what lies ahead.
Self-compassion includes 3 parts:
Learn more: The practice of self-compassion: What is it? |
Compassion for those around you |
What does showing compassion look like? It can be as simple as:
If you want to up your compassion game, you can get started with this exercise: A Week of Compassion. Learn more: What is compassion? |
Compassion in your workplace |
Those in the workforce spend a significant portion of their lives at work. That’s why it’s important for workplaces to look out for the mental health and well-being of their employees. Having a workplace where people treat each other with kindness is key. When we show compassion, it helps us make friends, feel happier at work, and support each other better. If you would like to help make your workplace more caring, check out this poster and share it with your employer. It has links to resources from Canadian Mental Health Association that can teach your workplace how to protect and promote mental health. |
Mental health is key to overall well-being
Mental health is what allows us to think, feel, and act in ways that help us reach our potential, enjoy life fully, and deal with stressors. Many factors affect a person’s mental health, like access to basic needs and life events. Everyone experiences mental health in their own way.
Build your mental health
The 5 Ways to Well-being are five simple everyday actions that can help improve and maintain mental health.
Below are more strategies that may also be helpful:
- Use skills and supports that helped you through tough times in the past;
- Take care of your body as best you can (i.e., eat, sleep, drink water, and be active);
- Be kind to yourself;
- Connect regularly with loved ones or other supports;
- Talk to others about how you feel – whether it be a friend, family member, or a professional;
- Build skills to help you relax (i.e., deep breathing or meditation);
- Make self-care a priority as best you can and start small.
Talk about your mental health
It is important to know how to talk about your mental health. This Have That Talk video from Ottawa Public Health can help you learn how to talk about mental health.
Reach out for help
If you need help now, call 911 or contact a crisis intervention service. Information is available if you need help related to preventing suicide.
If building your mental health on your own feels overwhelming, it may be helpful to reach out to a professional for support. Learn about mental health services in your area.
Other mental health related topics
Related information is available on these Health Unit pages: