At WildKat we care deeply about mental health. That’s why for #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek we have created a list that from experience, improves our mental wellbeing. Of course, everyone is different and we know that people have different methods of how they deal with their own mental health but hopefully this list can help you or at least act as a guide for you to create your own list. 

• Are you feeling overwhelmed or overworked? Take a break from what you’re doing and get a change of scenery, perhaps going outside, or a different activity as a short break. If you like your surroundings, really take in the different aspects of where you are. Focus on your different senses. Really use this time to declutter your thoughts and go back and tackle your responsibilities in an organised manner, so they are easier to take on. 

• Channel your emotions. Creativity can often be charged by emotion and can result in brilliance. It can also help you learn more about how you work. Doing this can also help you understand your thoughts clearly and make it easier to organise and deal with your thoughts. Many creative people, in general, produce incredible things which can act as therapy, with a way of documenting your emotions and your feelings. 

• Meditation. There are many meditation resources that are freely available as apps, on for free on YouTube. Taking some time to be aware of your mind and your body can be very effective. Learning how your emotions work can be great in assisting with difficult aspects of your mental health. 

• Self-care. We know this one can be particularly difficult, especially in rough patches of mental health. If you feel like you can, just make small steps towards eating well, drinking enough water and personal hygiene. Do as much as you feel you can and don’t worry if you can’t, but the more steps you take, the easier it becomes. 

• Routes of support: there are some particularly helpful resources out there if you know where to look. We recommend this article from our friends at Alternative Classical who have a list of organisations who can support you in a specialised manner for musicians, and there are a number of similar organisations for other sectors. Remember you can get support from friends and family too!

Alternative Classical’s Mental Health Support For Musicians

We’ve also created a Spotify playlist, to celebrate #NationalWalkingMonth, which you can use as part of your self-care plan.