My Well-Being Story: Mental Health Awareness Week

I was working through my lunch, all healthy exercise routine had stopped, and all my time and emotional energy was focused on work and my family, none on myself. The analogy that really stuck during this self-reflection was the part in the flight safety briefing where the air stewardess tells you to ensure you fit your own oxygen mask before helping those who need it around you. In all of life’s challenges and tribulations, I had forgotten to ensure I had my own mask fitted.

The power behind this reflection is that it is totally in my gift to change my focus and routines to ensure my own health and well-being is a priority. It has started with little steps such as I now ensure I actively take a break at lunch. I use the time to connect with work colleagues or to go outside for a walk and enjoy the fresh air. I have dug out my step counter and am trying to beat my friends and family in my daily and weekly step count. I am challenging myself to take the stairs, to park further away from the shops and start building new healthy habits and routines.  I am excited to start building on these positive changes and if you see me in the office please come and join me for lunch. If you are counting your steps too feel free to share how you are getting on – I would love to hear!

I would encourage all of you to take a moment to pause and reflect on whether your own oxygen mask is fitted and how well you prioritise your own health and well-being. You may already have some great habits and routines in place so perhaps you want to take these a step further. I can promise you it will be worth it, after all, what is more important and worth the investment than the health and well-being of our own bodies and minds.

Debbie Cotton, Director of Programmes and Strategic Change, The Old Station Nursery