Mental health. We hear about it all the time, but why is it important? As humans, we are made of different parts that contribute to the whole: we are mind, body, and spirit which includes our will and emotions. Mental health is important because for most people, thoughts control their emotions and emotions control actions. Oftentimes emotions are triggered responses to how life has shaped an individual. Meaning if life has been perfect, emotions are perfect, although life never seems to be “perfect” for anyone. Since we do not live in a perfect world, oftentimes emotional responses are distorted. It then becomes the job of the mind to self-correct.

Unfortunately, there is no auto correct button on our thoughts. It takes real effort. It takes real sacrifice, but the reward is priceless. Owning your thoughts means owning your emotions and behaviors. Mental health gives us the capacity to do just that! If we do not take care of our mental health, we can be harmed emotionally and physically, so taking care of our mental health is crucial.

My mom is a therapist, so she is always working on my sisters and I to express our feelings. She works with people all day who do not express their own feelings, and she works to make sure that we know our feeling are validated. There is a book called Where is your tank? (It’s a great book that you can buy on Amazon), which is basically a guide that helps you understand where your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual tank is. All of those “tanks” work together to make up who you are, so if one of them is low then you need to figure out a way to get it back up. If you need to talk to someone, know that there is someone in your life who is ready to listen if you give them a chance.