You may have noticed that the terms ‘Mental Health’ and ‘Wellbeing’ get used alongside each other without much explanation.

Mental Health generally describes those elements of health which reflect the mental/thought/emotional sides of us. Here you might be diagnosed with a condition but we all have mental health - either good, average, minimal or wherever we are. This is almost like a scale.

Wellbeing is a connected but different scale. This is about our wellness - our ability to function day to day and cope with all of life’s stresses and strains. We all need to manage our wellbeing and even if you’re diagnosed with a Mental Health challenge, you can still have excellent wellbeing as you look after it day to day.

Here at Space to Breathe, we think the crucial idea that helps our wellbeing is “self-awareness.” If you can understand yourself, understand how you work and understand our strengths and our weakness - then we are more able to move forward with life.

Psychologist Carl Rogers said “"The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I change."

These three resources will help you and the older neighbours you work with to grow in their wellbeing through self-awareness.

Me: Breathing

A Breathing Exercise is a wonderful activity to settle yourself and bring calm when things feel stressful or difficult. Breathing brings oxygen to the brain, bringing a sense of calm. It also returns us to the present moment, reminding us that our worries in the past or our anxiety about the future are both places where we can’t do a great deal - the only moment we can live is, in the present.

Use this when you feel unsettled and need to find some calm.

GIVE AWAY: THE POSTCARD

This PDF uses the concept of visualisation, to remember and experience a happy or safe place. Imagining the sights, smells and memories helps us feel calm and then we can bring calmness into our daily life from that experience.

You can print off and share this PDF but you might also want to ask your older neighbour where is a special place for them and maybe find pictures or postcards that can be a reminder for them.

Use this when you want to help someone find a calm or safe moment in the midst of difficult times.

do together: MAKE YOUR OWN SNOW GLOBE

Sometimes life can shake us up and we can feel unsettled. Maybe new Coronavirus restrictions, a change in routine or a problem with our health. The Older Neighbours you’re befriending might find these changes hard. We use a Snow Globe as a picture of these situations. We can feel shaken up but eventually time allows things to settle. They remind us to take time, to find a place of calm and then to face change with a sense of balance rather than worry. Watch this ..

Why not make a snow globe with your neighbour or give them the things to make their own Snow Globe. Get a Jar with a Lid, put two tea spoons of glitter in the bottom and fill it with water. Then seal the lid and shake …

Use this when your neighbour needs reminding that time helps us manage difficult times or change.

FIND OUT MORE

Want to understand more about growing in your wellbeing? Check out these ideas and resources from our website.