Hey there Digital Glue Insiders!
Before we dive into today’s very important topic of mental health, I have a few announcements to share with you. First being a bit of excitement here on our end …
TWO ever so short years ago (this week!) we made the decision of a lifetime! We made The Digital Glue Podcast our newest digital home! And we’re officially celebrating 2 full years of “untangling” Digital Glue episodes … with our 87th which we’re bringing to you here and now today -- and our 100th in clear view!
We’ve continued expanding our voice, our story, and our team-combined knowledge to new and exciting ideas and platforms. And we plan to not stop there! The Digital Glue -- in all its glorious forms -- continues to blast off at lightning speed and we plan to keep things rollin’ for a while longer! The amount of support you’ve all shown us has blown us away! So, thank you for virtually being by our side on this journey.
That being said, our second announcement is that we’re going to be taking a slow roll and a bit of a pause with our podcast come our 100th episode -- which just so happens to land on February 14th -- in just a few short months. We have too many grand ideas that have been whisked to the wayside that we want to bring to the forefront. They’re burning a hole in our brains and we want to bring our visions to life and share them with the world. Then once the dust settles from our new creations and offerings, we’ll pop back into this Digital Glue world.
Okay, now that we’ve shared our news, let’s dive into today’s extra important topic; a new era of mental health!
Mental health is important. In reality, it has always been important but with the state of the world today, it's even more important now more than ever!
The world has been in shambles for a couple years (and counting) now. There is endless amounts of heightened pain and suffering and it sadly doesn't look as though that's going to change any time soon.
... the never-ending pandemic.
... new strains of scary virus' popping up.
... bad governments, politics, and conspiracies.
... the war between Ukraine and Russia.
... truth and reconciliation with the Indigenous peoples.
... the floods across the USA and Afghanistan.
... droughts across multiple areas of the world.
... riots and rallies and endless bouts of racism.
… rising grocery and gas prices due to a recession.
All this pain and suffering is not something empaths like myself are able to take lightly. Even though it's not all personally happening to us, we feel #AllTheFeels as though it is. We're highly attuned to everything around us at quite a deep emotional level. And that makes it very hard to function at a "normal" level. So, we need to take action on an entirely different level in order to not let the world take us down.
Things like:
- Not watching or reading the news daily.
- Finding ways in which we can help improve the pain.
- Donating or performing random acts of kindness.
- Using our skills to help better the lives of others.
- Busying ourselves with fond hobbies (beyond work).
… And the list goes on.
To be put myself on the vulnerability chopping block ... my own mental health has been suffering a bit this year -- more than any other year of my near 40 years lived on this wonderful planet. Sure, 2020 was a strike to the gut. But we adjusted. Then 2021 was a rinse n' repeat of 2020 -- but we were already getting used to it. But then 2022 rolled around and punched us right in the dang face!
... Our car got smashed in a bad accident. (Don’t worry, everyone is ok)!
... I got COVID (badly!!!) and so did my other half.
... Our precious kitty; Maxxwell needed to be put down.
... Both other kitties had injuries that needed immediate tending.
... Myself and my family caught some other pretty horrible illnesses.
... A close friend found out she has breast cancer.
... Our clients were struggling to not close due to pandemic inflation.
... A VU client and dear friend passed due to COVID complications.
And between those years, and a few prior, my other half and I have had near 10 friends takes their own lives due to mental health struggles.
I'm not telling you all this, so you'll feel sorry. I'm sharing this all with you today in order to greatly express HOW MUCH your mental health matters. And if you're struggling also, that YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
If you think of it, we're in a new wave of a pandemic when it comes to health concerns ... and it's our mental health on the line. We were "locked up" for nearly 3 years, and when we were finally "set free" the world we once knew was gone. And some didn't (or still don't) know how to cope. And rightfully so. But that's okay -- it will take time -- and it's nothing to be ashamed of.
To put things into perspective, did you know that …
- A majority of adults (61%) reported experiencing undesired weight changes since the start of the pandemic, with more than 2 in 5 (42%) saying they gained more weight than they intended. Of this group, adults reported gaining an average of 29 pounds (with a typical gain of 15 pounds, which is the median).
- Two in 3 people (67%) said they are sleeping more or less than they wanted to since the pandemic started. Similar proportions reported less (35%) and more (31%) sleep than desired. Nearly 1 in 4 adults (23%) reported drinking more alcohol to cope with their stress.
- Nearly half of the population (47%) said they delayed or canceled health care services since the pandemic started.
- Nearly half of parents (48%) said the level of stress in their life has increased compared with before the pandemic. More than 3 in 5 parents with children who are still home for remote learning (62%) said the same.
- Essential workers were more than twice as likely as those who are not to have received treatment from a mental health professional (34% vs. 12%) and to have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder since the pandemic started (25% vs. 9%).
- Black Americans were most likely to report feelings of concern about the future. More than half said they feel uneasy about adjusting to in-person interaction once the pandemic began fizzling out (57% vs. 51% Asian, 50% Hispanic and 47% white).
- Gen Z adults (46%) were the most likely generation to say that their mental health has worsened compared with before the pandemic, followed by Xers (33%), Millennials (31%), Boomers (28%) and older senior citizen aged adults (9%).
These changes and stressors are not to be taken lightly. The world is in a tough place, and we need to work towards rebuilding things, but in order to do that, we must start from within ...
Some days it’s hard to stay motivated and keep the entrepreneurial spirit alive and twinkling. Especially if you’re stuck feeling like you’re in rinse n’ repeat mode with your business and feeling languish oh so damn hard due to the uncertainty that the pandemic has created. But it’s all about perseverance and taking things in stride … Knowing that no matter how hard things seem -- or feel -- right now, at this very moment, there will ALWAYS be a light at the end of the tunnel. Even if it’s not shinning quite so brightly yet. It will … You just have to keep doing #AllTheThings and leave room for making “gifts of imperfections” (Brene Brown). But most importantly be aware of how you’re feeling and what’s going on around you …
- Talk to your tribe and share experiences;
- Give yourself permission to experience some joy;
- Time block some YOU TIME every single day;
- Check in with yourself; and most importantly …
- Take things One. Day. At. A. Time.
(Rome wasn’t built in a day!)
And if you've done all these things -- alongside everything else I shared with you today -- and that sticky-icky feeling still won't go away, I just want to remind you that just because we spend all day (everyday) "untangling" #AllTheThings in the land of digital -- held together with a bit of glue, we're human too! And we're always only a virtual message away! And just like the needs of your business … This too does not need to be done alone. HOPE is real. HELP is real. Your STORY is important. You ARE important.
For those who may not know this, I'm an avid follower of To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA). I learnt about them when I was working my full-day day job a handful of years back when a close friend and co-worker rushed out of the office because her daughter tried to take her own life. That was my first experience with suicide. And ever since then, my entire outlook on mental health has changed -- drastically.
So, if you or someone you know or love is struggling beyond your/their means but acting like all is well (but are on the edge) please don't think you're a burden, or all alone, or that you cannot go on any longer like this ... There are people, and places, and resources out there that can make you/them get out of that sticky place or feeling.
We can't do this thing called life without you/them.
There is already so much pain and suffering in the world. But there is also lots of good. And we want you/them to be here (with us!) to explore and experience it all. They exist as one of those resources to encourage, inform, inspire, and also invest directly into treatment and recovery.
To learn more, click the link within the transcript of this episode.
To end things off today …
It’s human nature to avoid pain and seek pleasure. Some of us take risks while others play it safe. Some of us see problems and answers while other see the status quo. Some of us feed off our comfort zones while others see hiding behind this as failure. The path isn’t always easy, and the survival rate is bleak. But it’s the mental tools that keep our journey intact. And one of those very important tools is resilience.
Fear holds us back. Dark cloudy days and setbacks are unavoidable and surely not pleasant. However, they also have the potential to be your engine of personal growth. (Also, in our business lives.)
Pain plus reflection equals progress.
So, see yourself as a fighter. Go with the gifts you were given. Trust your gut. (It’s always right!) Take time to re-boot. Be gracious about your losses. (Even ones that shatter your world!) Learn as you go. Don’t give up. Keep reminding yourself why you’re doing this worthy thing called life (and your business!) because who better to take it on than you.
And most important of all ...
Believe in yourself!