Letting Off Steam
This week is Mental Health Awareness week. The thought that struck me as I considered this was how we still make a distinction between physical and mental health, particularly when science has proven that the two are inextricably linked.
My family began the ‘lockdown’ about a week and a half before schools in the UK officially closed their doors, due to an unfortunately timed illness on the part of my eldest daughter, meaning that we’ve now had approx. 10 weeks without the kids taking part in any real sport. In the early days we played in the garden, bounced on the trampoline and tried to get enthusiastic about online fitness classes, but they’ve lost their shine a bit over the last 6 weeks. Whilst I’m grateful for the flurry of ‘me too’ fitness fundraisers doing the rounds of social media, they’re short-lived entertainment and no substitute for the hockey, rugby, netball or sailing which my children normally enjoy. And now, if I’m honest, the time online and lack of sport is beginning to tell. Eldest daughter follows me around the house bemoaning the fact that we haven’t done our abs workout today (or any other day this week) like it’s going to motivate me to get crunching; middle daughter has turned into one of Cinderella’s evil stepsisters and helps herself to everyone else’s clothes, makeup and highlighters (yes, highlighter ownership is a very real issue!); youngest daughter, always happy and level headed, has started having bad dreams and crying at bedtime. And as for the eldest, my son has reverted to a nocturnal sleep cycle in order to avoid interacting with the rest of the household (well, me actually – I know because he growled it at me during our last conversation. I think I might have brought it on myself by suggesting he consider getting a job or revisiting the idea of study).
My brother, who’s on an educational journey towards becoming a counsellor, sent me a message last week asking if I’m OK. He offered me a shoulder to cry on, should I need it. He then sent me the same message earlier this week. I know he means well, but what on earth would I say? He has a toddler and there aren’t enough hours in his naptime to fit in my concerns about one of my children, let alone 4. To be honest, even if there were, he’s my brother (and a man) so he’d be tempted to offer advice, to try and help, when actually I would just be letting off steam. Because, when all’s said and done, my children are healthy. They’re fed, clothed and they’re steaming through their schoolwork because without distractions they can focus and get it done in no time. So instead I sent him a cheery ‘we’re all fine’ reply, took the dog, the girls (son was fast asleep) and the paddleboard and headed to the beach. When we got there the tide was too far out to SUP, I suffered a (minor but painful) dog-related injury and dropped my lunch in the process, thereby proving to myself the inextricable link between mental and physical wellbeing!
I’m making light of it but mental wellness is important. If we don’t let off steam the pressure builds, like a shaken bottle of coke left in the sun. In the strange new world that is post-Covid, people have fewer opportunities to chat to the neighbours, to pass the time with the cashier in the supermarket or to vent to their doctor. So, maybe on your walk or run find the time to stop and say hi to a stranger, to SMILE at the person behind you in the supermarket queue or to be kind when someone gets a bit too close at the beach or in the carpark – you might be the only smiling face they see today or the only person they’ve spoken to this week.