by Ethan Nelson. 6/22/2020.
Hello!
If you know me, you know I’m big on mental health. If you don’t yet know me… well, hopefully, you soon will. My name is Ethan Nelson, and this is my blog, A Minute for Your Mind.
Have you had days that are so packed with to-dos, tasks, turbulence, and tumult that you realize you need some time to step back before you start tearing your hair out? Times where you’re exhausted or reeling, and you recognize that you want to take care of yourself in that moment?
The unfortunate paradox is that the more you do, plan, and get caught up in, the more you want to be kinder to yourself and have a clearer idea of what’s going on in your headspace. But you have less time to do that!
That’s where this blog comes in.
Hopefully, this blog will help you help yourself in making the time to find some mental health strategies packed into just a moment of time. It’s important to note that no part of this blog is a replacement for the many, many strategies and resources that may take longer, including therapy. As someone who has been in therapy since September 2018 for depression, anxiety issues, and OCD, I can assure you that there truly is no substitute for therapy. (Also, a related disclaimer: I’m not a mental health professional, although I plan on becoming one.)
So, not only do I hope this blog isn’t seen as an easy replacement for longer routes–there aren’t any shortcuts when it comes to mental health–but I also hope that what you initially take from this blog grows in importance for your mental health over time. Something I might blog about could take just a minute, but I hope that eventually you’ll make more time for it until it becomes a healthy habit.
As a psychology major, I recognize how critical it is to do your research. For each and every blog post, I’m going to include links and references to articles by professionals. Would you trust or rely on an evidence-less blog on an important topic like your emotional wellbeing? Didn’t think so.
A final note–some of the concepts and tips I will provide in this blog are relevant to wide swaths of the population. Others are more specific. I might talk about small strategies those with OCD can recognize compulsions. Although you might not be the “target audience” in some of these posts, you might know someone who could find them beneficial.
That’s all I have to write about for now. Blog posts will arrive every Monday. While you’re here, please feel free to check out the other parts of this site (and share your appreciate with a tip in the Tip Jar).
