Mental Health Notes

Be Kind To Your Earth, Be Kind To Your Mind

by Alicia Sparks, NAMI Affiliation Leader on April 22nd, 2008

My calendar tells me it’s…*drum roll please*… Earth Day! Yay!

Among my many passions (music, reading, writing, respecting grammar and the English language - I’m a nerd, I know - animals, and mental health) is being kind to the earth. And, indulging and advocating for my passions always gives my mental state a little boost in the right direction, especially when they blend with my other passions. For example, last week I was able to write some real estate material that focused on homes with eco-friendly features - how cool is that?

Very cool, if you’re me.

Anyway, if taking care of the earth is among your passions as well, maybe doing something in honor of Earth Day could also give you a mental boost!

Because it’s already Earth Day, I realize it’s way too late to plan something like a festival; however, if you have:

• 5-10 minutes, you could visit the Earth Day Network for advocacy ideas, Carbon Footprint to calculate your own footprint and get ideas for making it smaller, The Rainforest Site to “click to give” (it’s free!) and protect 11.4 square feet of rainforest, and Daily Tomorrow for a wealth of ideas to be kind to our planet. (While you’re there, say hello to Gabrielle - she’s just taken over the blog!)
• An hour or more, you could locate and determine the quickest route to your area’s recycling center, plant a tree, walk to the grocery store, or hang your laundry on a clothesline rather than running your dryer.
• The rest of the day, you could do some research and make a list of all the things you can do for the rest of the 364 days of the year! Check out sites like Care2 and Kaboose’s Earth Day Web page for ideas about healthy and green living.

When you pause and recognize the big picture - such as our planet and its plant, animal, and human inhabitants - you’re able to take a break from your own stress and anxieties and help make the world a brighter, healthier, and more enjoyable place.

Have fun!

The above image belongs to aussiegall and is being used according to these Creative Commons attributions.

What have you done lately to make the world a brighter place, while still managing your mental illness? Share your story by entering Mental Health Notes’ This Is Why I ROCK!

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POSTED IN: Current Affairs & News, Enviromental Factors, Everyday Stress, Have Some Fun, Inspiring News, No Prescription Needed, Self-help, Sites of Interest, Volunteer