Blog
Our New Valley Park Postbox
This is the first blog of the year which I've managed to write in my garden.
I've tried in previous weeks (when it's not been raining!) but have battled gusts of wind and winter-like cold. Today, though, the sun is shining, the birds are singing and - finally - the trees are turning green, the roses are displaying promising, fat buds and I'm occasionally privileged enough to hear the tweeting of baby birds as their parents bring some delicious morsel or other back to their nest.
I spend a good deal of time in front of a screen for work and so being outside is my 'happy place' that provides a welcome relief and a space to recharge the proverbial batteries.
This week is #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek and we have a series of activities planned for our community, with the aim of starting conversations, taking time to notice things that make an impact (for better or worse) and considering other 'happy places'.
Possibly, #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek could not have come at a better time. As we start to stick our heads above the metaphorical parapet to assess how this brave new, post-Covid world looks, it is important to stop now and take stock.
For many, the world will be forever different because of what they've seen and experienced. For others, they have to summon up real courage in order to venture out again. For students taking exams at any level, they are having to accept and process the feeling of injustice at not having had the opportunity to sit their assessments in the usual way.
Every student (and most probably their parents, too) is processing 'what ifs' and worries about the impact institution closures will have had on their future. In school, we have noticed that it is routines, now, that are taking some considerable re-establishment. After such a prolonged period of uncertainty and disruption, it is the 'being at home' routines that are the most deeply-rooted, and we are all having to think twice about aspects of our daily lives that were previously second nature.
This change process will, of course affect us all in myriad ways, but the part that is common to us all is the process of reflection - thinking about and acknowledging the impact that certain events in our lives have on us, and noticing when it's right to factor in some down time. Knowing what helps when times are hard or you're shattered. Making the most of the great times and knowing that everyone has mental health and - just like the rest of our body - some days are simply better than others.
Have you seen our new Valley Park postbox yet? You can use it to tell us about things that are going well, or not so well for you, the strategies that help you, and even the things that we can assist with, or develop further. Let's get the conversation started this week and let’s keep it going long after #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek ends!
