On Thursday it will be University Mental Health Day, the national day for student mental health. Across the UK this week universities will be running events and campaigns to promote awareness and support for students at universities to manage their wellbeing.
As Student Minds and UMHAN say:
We need to work together to improve the university experience, allowing students to succeed and thrive.
Whilst none of us here at Space to Breathe are part of the university world right now, we have all had the experience of being at university; some of us have worked at university and we are all fully committed to supporting communities to thrive wherever that might be.
When we talk about managing our mental health and wellbeing, we don’t see it as just being for those of us whose wellbeing might not be in a positive place right now. Even in the midst of thriving, taking care of our wellbeing needs to be an ongoing priority. We all have mental wellbeing and as MIND state ‘Our mental wellbeing is dynamic. It can change from moment to moment, day to day, month to month or year to year.’ Whether you feel like you have good mental wellbeing or poor mental wellbeing just now, let’s support one another to prioritise our wellbeing so that we in turn, support one another to thrive.
In the lead up to University Mental Health Day, we will be sharing a simple one minute practice each day that students and university staff [and anyone really] can engage with to help support their own mental flourishing. If you find it helpful, perhaps you could share it with a friend or colleague to support their wellbeing too.
The simple practice is based around becoming more self-aware through a self scan. Each day will focus on a different part of ourselves: our mind, our body, our heart and our soul. We’ll be sharing a new minute long video each day, where Andy will talk you through how to take part in today’s scan.
Why a self scan? Because as we scan our self - mind, body, soul, heart - we become more aware of what we’re feeling, where we might be feeling it or why we might be feeling that way. As we become more aware, these scans can help us to take it a step further. Self-awareness brings with itself understanding. An understanding of what is going on inside you. And this in itself can lead to action; a change in behaviour, a stopping of something or a starting of something. Doing a self scan can help you to get off the constant treadmill of life, even if just for five minutes. It can give you a simple way to look after your mental wellbeing each day.
Today we’re kicking off with a short introduction to the scans. Why not join us this week and share the impact of the scan as you take part. If you find it really helpful, share it with a friend.