How I took control of my mental health and wellness
Laurie Moser . Published April 2, 2024
Source: unsplash
For those of you that haven't heard my story before, here's the short version of why I feel so strongly about doing the work on yourself by using self-care tools to equip you to manage and deal with the daily issues of raising a teen struggling with mental health challenges and finding the right community for you that provides support, understanding and connection.
I remember the moment clearly,
it was a few years ago, I was sitting on my bed, feeling alone, scared, heartbroken and paralyzed in that moment about what to do next to help my daughter. I wanted someone to tell me what to do, to fix the problems. Just give me the answers and solutions to make everything better again. I wanted to feel peace, calm and stability in our home again. I wanted to help my daughter, to connect and have a relationship with her again, she felt so distant from me at that time.
But, I couldn’t control or fix my daughter.
The only thing that I could control or fix was taking control of my own mental health and wellbeing. If I wanted to connect with my daughter again, I needed to become a mom that could be there for her. Feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and burned out was not going to achieve this for me. That’s how my daily consistent practice of self-care started. I started with daily journaling for 5 minutes a day. This made such a difference, that I eventually added on breathing exercises and movement first thing in the morning.
Are you interested in trying journaling
But you find yourself staring at a blank sheet or screen? Here's my free journal guide with prompts and examples for YOU:
➡️ Click here for the journal guide ⬅️
1st truth:
self-care is crucial for your mental health and well-being. I know from personal experience, when I felt constantly exhausted, frustrated and overwhelmed, I wasn't showing up for my daughter that needed me the most the way I wanted to. I was angry, resentful and reactive. No connection was happening.
🌟What a simple daily 5 minute journaling practice did for me: it allowed me to "brain dump," all those negative thoughts and emotions out of my head and onto paper, gave me a new understanding and perspective on why I was reacting and feeling the way I was.
2nd truth:
finding the "right group support," gave me the community that I needed. A group of like-minded parents where I felt heard, understood, and acknowledged for the challenges that I was going through because they were experiencing the same. We all want to know that we're not alone. Sharing and learning from others are essential for my mental health and wellbeing.
Here's the lie:
Self-care is selfish and I don't have time to prioritize self-care when I have a teen struggling with mental health challenges and I'm in the middle of constant chaos and crisis with my teen. NOT true. YOU have 5 minutes for your mental health and wellbeing, you're worth 5 minutes! Just think of the last time, you felt exhausted, overwhelmed and frustrated, how did you parent??
Start small and simple. Pick one self-care practice and be consistent with it.
Here're a few things that take less than 5 minutes:
1. Breathing exercises, try the 4-7-8 breathing technique, this involves breathing in for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds.
2. Journaling: guided, prompts or blank page
3. Moving your body: do stretches, quick walk, or HIIT (high intensity interval training)
YOU got this.
I’m here cheering YOU on! 🥰
LAURIE MOSER
Laurie Moser is an advocate for moms’ mental health. Supporting moms who have teens with mental health challenges using self-care tools & group support. Laurie has been featured by Focus on the Family, Real Biz Moms, Tracking Happiness and a guest on 5 Minutes for Me App, Voice of Women (VOW), and I Never Knew (INK).
