Mental Health Week is Upon us, Beyond the Week: Practicing Self-Care and Compassion All Year Round

Lloyd M
May 10
2 min read

Title:Beyond the Week: Practicing Self-Care and Compassion All Year RoundBy L2M Coaching & Mentoring

Mental Health Awareness Week (12–18 May 2025) reminds us of something that deserves far more than seven days of attention our mental and emotional wellbeing.

It’s a week to pause, reflect, and reconnect. But let’s be clear: mental health isn’t a moment. It’s a movement. It’s not seasonal it’s 365 days, 24/7, 62 weeks if needed. This journey is lifelong. It's the ongoing, intentional practice of caring for ourselves and others in ways that support healing, growth and inner peace.

💛 Why Self-Care Matters

Self-care isn’t selfish. It’s a foundation for resilience, for presence and for showing up fully in the world. When we look after our mind, body and spirit, we create space to offer care to others, too.

One of the most beautiful metaphors for healing and wholeness is the Japanese art of Kintsugi repairing broken pottery with gold. Rather than hiding the cracks, it celebrates them. The scars become a story of survival and strength, not shame. Just like Kintsugi, we can tend to our wounds with love not to erase them, but to integrate them into who we are becoming.

🧠 What Is Self-Care Really?

Self-care isn’t all spa days and scented candles though those can help! True self-care is holistic. It includes:

🌿 1. Emotional Self-Care

Naming your feelings without judgement.
Talking to a coach, friend, or therapist.
Journaling, meditating, or using an emotions wheel to reflect.

🏃🏽 2. Physical Self-Care

Eating nourishing foods.
Moving your body in a joyful way (walks, dancing, stretching).
Getting enough sleep and rest.

💻 3. Mental Self-Care

Reading books that expand your mind.
Setting boundaries to avoid overwhelm.
Taking breaks from social media and negative news.

🤝 4. Social Self-Care

Spending time with people who uplift you.
Asking for help when you need it.
Saying no when your energy is depleted.

🔮 5. Spiritual Self-Care

Practicing gratitude or prayer.
Spending time in nature.
Connecting with your purpose (your Ikigai).

💼 6. Professional Self-Care

Taking your lunch break without guilt.
Asking for feedback to grow.
Celebrating your small wins.

🌟 A Challenge for Mental Health Awareness Week

Try this:

✅ Choose one area of self-care each day this week

✅ Do one small thing for yourself and one thing for someone else

✅ Reflect: How did it feel to give and receive kindness?

✅ Repeat: Work on making this a daily / weekly habit

Let Mental Health Awareness Week be a launchpad not a landing point.

🧘🏾‍♂️ The Kintsugi Way

As I continue to remind my those I ocme into contact with and myself: healing isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence. It’s about patience. It’s about patching ourselves with gold and daring to believe we are still beautiful, still worthy, still whole.