There are so many important signs, but I really want to narrow down on one. Read more to find out!
Now, you might be thinking, "Uh oh... where could this blog post be going? And what signs is she talking about?" Street signs? Zodiac signs? Sign language? While all of these are signs you may know, the answer is none of the above!
The signs I'm talking about are mental health signs!
Before I continue: I just graduated high school, I'm not a mental health expert. However, I hope to share a perspective that I believe it both fascinating and important. I want to talk about self-awareness and evaluation through tangible or outward signs.
My Example & Inspiration
There was one time when I was having a bad week, and I got super annoyed that my room had gotten so messy. I remember thinking, "I'm a pretty neat person... how did this happen?" That's when I realized what one of my outward signs is: my room looks like a hurricane came through it.
Once I realized this, I thought about other times in the past when I wasn't in the best place and one of the common threads was having a messy room.
This blog post seems random, considering it was inspired by me having a messy room, but I think there's an aspect of self that's important to acknowledge: self care, self awareness, and self evaluation.
What's the Big Deal?
Of course, there are times when my room is just messy, even when I'm in a perfectly good headspace; however, it's so important to be able to recognize when you might not be in the best headspace.
At that moment when I had realized what my outer sign was, I had not been aware of my negative mental health. That is why I wanted to present this blog to you, because awareness is a form of self-love. By knowing your mental health signs, you can remind yourself to take extra care when you're in a valley or a rough patch.
Think of the signals like driving.
When you signal, other people can become aware of when you're about to turn or change lanes; when you don't signal, others feel that you're acting rude or irresponsible. This actually parallels with your mental health signals. When others see your signs, they can make space for you to change lanes or know when you need to make a change; when you make a move without signaling, people might feel as though you're acting rude towards them. The same can be said for when you see your signs—you can be aware of when you need to change lanes in life.
So, what's the big deal? Mental health signals are a form of communication with yourself and with those around you!
Accept the Signs
Every person will have a different way of indirectly expressing their emotions or headspace. I've found that when I know my friends' signs, I am able to support them and try to be extra patient and loving. (Nugget of wisdom: knowing other people's signs is one way to strengthen your relationships!)
Even if you may not know someone's way of expressing a mental health difficulty or valley, you can try to take a step back and remember that everyone has a way of handling problems. By being aware of people's mental health signals and accepting them, we can create an environment of love to combat our friends' and family's struggles.
This includes accepting your own signs! In the same way that we provide extra love for our friends when they're struggling, we can also give ourselves more grace and love. If I'm not aware of when I'm in a bad place, then I won't be able to give myself the space or time to recover and heal. So, knowing my signs helps me to get out of that dark valley faster.
Remember: don't invalidate your signals. They're your cry for help! Just because my sign annoyed me at first, doesn't mean it's any less important or valid. These signals are necessary for positive growth in our mental health journeys!
I hope this post reminds you that you're valid and that your mental health is so important to your overall well-being, as well as to clean your room;)!
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