6 SIMPLE ACTIONS TO IMPROVE WELLBEING
Posted on 10th October 2019 at 20:50
Last year we set aside 2 weeks in January to help kickstart the new year with short programmes designed to support mentally healthy schools. Debbie H called it "New Year New Mindset". It sounded great, AND there was real substance behind it so we are doing it again, and we're hoping to have even greater impact. More on that in a couple of days...
For now, we wanted to share 6 simple actions that we can all use to improve our lives.
WHAT ARE THE "FEELGOOD 6"?
Wellbeing is about feeling good and doing well in our day-to-day lives. Sandwell's Feelgood 6 are actions that we can take to improve our wellbeing.
We often use these actions to underpin our delivery and support children - often those that haven't settled well at school, or are anxious, or might be accessing a school counselling service.
Here's a bit of detail about how we use them in practice; we hope that it stimulates a few ideas or new habits:
Connect & Talk
CONNECTING with friends, teachers, the environment or the arts enriches every day at a centre.
TALK about the way you feel, what you want to achieve, and what's going on that's really important to you. This happens in review sessions and structured play.
Move
Getting up and about makes you feel great! From gardening to hill walks, to dance and sensory activities - our centre grounds, activities and surrounding environment provide the perfect opportunity to get active.
Notice
Take time, stop and focus on the moment; enjoy the outdoors or a piece of art.
Looking up at the sky, exploring colours, textures and shapes, and exploring the senses through our sensory garden or barefoot walk can help us all become more aware.
Learn
Learning something new is a great way to feel more confident.
Set challenges, stick at something, and you will enjoy achieving it.
Identify the stars at night, light fires, play an instrument, build habitats, perfect your photography, learn map skills, produce a collage, ride a bike and more!
Give
Doing simple things like making the time to listen to someone can really boost your wellbeing.
Make bead links for a friend as a reminder of the programme, share feedback with each other, look after the animals, and develop trust and empathy through many of our sessions.
FURTHER READING
There are lots of resources and ideas to help you apply them on the Sandwell Council website HERE.
We love this resource from The John Muir Trust: "Creativity, Nature & Mental Health: A collection of poems & reflections"
You can read more about World Mental Health Day at the Mental Health Foundation HERE.
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