In our most recent blog, our very own Director of Communications Maggie Reith Austin discussed the benefits of our various upcoming events, and explained the unique considerations that go into programming for our community. Indeed, it is our mission at FearLess Dallas to help connect women+ from all walks of life ages 18 years and older with the tools and resources necessary to grow into the best versions of themselves, and we aspire to accomplish this through community events, workshops, one-on-one sessions, and fundraisers. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX community pays special attention to the importance of mental health and checking in with yourself, as well as how our next community workshop is designed to help you clear your mental garden of weeds.
Mental Health Among Women+
It goes without saying that for years, the topic of mental health was a hotly-contested issue that carried the weight of a large stigma. Though strides have been made to lessen the extent of this stigma and its impact on women and gender minorities, there is still much work to be done. What we do have now, however, is traction and a voice.
Mental Health America found that currently, 1 in 5 adults will have a diagnosable mental health condition in any given year, and 46 percent – nearly half – will meet the criteria for a diagnosable MH condition sometime in their life. Not only are these statistics staggering, but these numbers are on the rise for at-risk populations including women and gender minorities.
You see, mental health among women and gender minorities is on the rise. According to Agenda Alliance for Women and Girls at Risk, 72 percent of those in suicide counseling are girls, and women in poverty are more likely to face poor mental health. Further, 39 percent of people with Mental Illness identify as LGBTQIA+.
COVID Didn’t Help
With the notions of equality, equity, and equal opportunities still up in the air for women+, the COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated these issues. Mental illness, the inability to leave one’s home, and increasing stressors/pressures from a variety of fronts led to increasingly more negative mental health, and it even cost many their lives.
Spring Cleaning
While it is not our intention to dampen your mood, dear reader, we deem it important to emphasize the need for accessible and appropriate mental health resources and practices. After all, your mental health is everything, and influences every one of your capabilities.
Attempting to even begin to understand the complexity of mental illness is extremely difficult if you have not experienced anything like it, and the same can be said for a person who experiences it on a consistent basis. In fact, each person’s experience is going to be different, and this can lead us to believe we are alone in our struggles. When you begin to feel overwhelmed with daily tasks, exhausted, burned out, whether mentally, physically, or emotionally, it’s time to do a little mental spring cleaning.
A mental check-in with yourself can help you take inventory of your emotional and spiritual well-being, and it is important to take time for yourself so you can continue to function as your best self.
Tending to Your Mental Garden
My favorite metaphor to liken the concepts of “spring cleaning” and “mental health” to is that of your mind being a complex garden. It is full of various plant species (thoughts, fears, troubles, anxieties, stressors, joys, excitements, and more) and each species grows and thrives in its own manner.
Like plants, however, you cannot leave one unattended or uncared for too long without it becoming negatively affected in some way. This can take the form of drying out, rotting, burning from too much sun, and various other conditions. Additionally, if you do not nourish your positive emotions, thoughts, feelings, and experiences, your garden cannot thrive or grow. Finally, it is important to note that weeds (negative thoughts, emotions, and more) are common pests that develop throughout your garden, and as such, require consistent attention, work, and care.
Opportunities To Expand Your Skills
The key to maintaining your mental garden and prioritizing your mental health is to work on it consistently. There are always ways we can expand our abilities and acquire the tools necessary to tend to our mental health, but these resources may not always appear accessible. This is the gap that FearLess Dallas aims to bridge.
On Saturday, May 21, 2022 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., our community will be hosting a Spring Mental Health Workshop to help clear the mental garden of weeds and plant new seeds. The workshop will take place at Mokah Coffee in Deep Ellum, and will consist of learning how to tend to your mental garden through mindfulness practices and self-care values. More information can be found on the event page here, and we encourage all women and gender minorities to come out!
Contact Our Community
To stay up-to-date with our community events, workshops, and fundraisers, or to learn more about becoming FearLess, contact FearLess, Dallas in Dallas, TX by calling 214-300-5143 today.