Public Schools of Robeson County

Mental Health Minute

August, 1, 2024 

Mental Health and Wellness

Self-Awareness Month 

The month of August is known as self-awareness month. In order to take care of yourself, it’s important to become self-aware first. Self-awareness is when one recognizes the way they feel, act, and think. Understanding the reasons behind your actions and the triggers for certain behavioral patterns allows you to actively address these issues through self-care.

Becoming self-aware allows you to identify when self-care is needed which leads to the improvement of one’s mental health. 

When you become self-aware of your body and actions and identify when your body needs self-care, it is important to have a list of self-care tips. Here are some practical suggestions to help you effectively manage your well-being:

• Stay mindful - Identify how to sit with what bothers you, process it and take steps to handle the things that bother you in healthy and positive ways.

• Find balance - It’s important to find balance in your life between work, social activities, school, and loved ones. Focusing too much on one particular area may cause a negative impact on your mental health.

• Search for support, but take time for yourself - It’s important to have support from your loved ones but it’s also important to have time for yourself. You can be by yourself without being lonely. Alone time is good for your mental health and allows you to feel comfortable in the presence of yourself.  

• It’s not selfish to take time for yourself - One of the most critical factors to remember about caring for yourself is that doing so is not being selfish or spoiling yourself. Understanding these differences is a key benefit of self-care, as it contributes positively to your mental health.

Become aware if something feels off in your mind or body, it will allow you the opportunity to take care of yourself and reduce stress which will keep you in a positive state of mind.