Jasmine is a mental health campaigner, mum to her one-year-old daughter, and Miss Great Britain finalist. In this guest blog, she shares some tips for looking after your family’s wellbeing.
Even in our busy lives, it’s important to look after your mental wellbeing. So, for Wellbeing Week we asked parents, like Jasmine, to do one thing a day to help them look after themselves.
Here she shares what she got up to:
Jasmine's story
“As a parent, it’s so easy to prioritise everyday chores, and for your wellbeing to get pushed to the bottom of the list.
But the truth is, looking after our wellbeing has a positive impact on everything else in our lives and makes the other tasks a lot easier.
It also models healthy behaviours for young people to pick up on and encourages them to look after their wellbeing too.
You may be thinking that it all sounds great, but it’s a struggle to fit it in to an already busy day. Well, small changes can actually make a huge difference.
Here are five suggestions you may wish to try:
Laughter
We all know how good it feels when we have a good laugh. You can find ways to add laughter into your day by playing silly games, watching a funny film, or just sharing a few jokes.
Music
Music can really set the tone and effect your mood. Try putting some fun, upbeat music on. To make it even better, you can all sing along or have a dance around the house.
Reading
People of all ages can enjoy a book. My daughter loves looking at all the pictures and practicing new words.
If you feel like you don’t have time to read yourself, you can always try an audio book. These have helped me to relax whilst rocking my daughter to sleep.
Connecting
Talking to family and friends, or going somewhere to socialise, is a great way to lift your mood.
It can also be beneficial to open up about your feelings and encourage family members to check in on each other’s wellbeing.
Barnardo’s has created free worksheets that young people can fill out to help your family start the conversation about mental wellbeing.
Nature
Getting outside for some fresh air and being in nature is a tried and tested way of looking after your wellbeing.
Whether that’s going for a walk, sitting quietly in your garden, or going to visit some animals, you are sure to feel the benefits.
So, there you have it, five small ways you can add into your day to improve your family’s wellbeing. Have fun and be sure to let us know how it goes!”
