Friends: Sometimes I get to the weekend and suddenly I’ve got a gap and I think, I’d better go see some of my friends or they’ll forget what I look like!
Spirituality: There is a spiritual element to my life. I dabble a lot with mindfulness, and I really appreciate the Buddhist perspective, and generally that sense of there’s something more than just my life, and the spirituality of connection to nature, which I get a lot through my gardening. A sense of the bigger universe and the value of all life, that’s something I stay connected to.
A typical week will have bits of all these things because it’s essential for keeping me healthy. Being aware of what I do and don’t eat and drink and making conscious positive choices around this is another important wellbeing practice. Self-awareness is key. Know the things you need to do and take charge to do those things. These behaviours are not all things I do on my own. The more I am engaging with other people the better it is, it motivates me, stimulates me, and gives me positive peer pressure to do the things that keep me healthy.
This article is adapted from a longer article ‘PEPTALK Hero of Wellbeing’ by Nadine Hickman www.peptalk.org.nz
This story was part of the Mahi Stories feature where experts in the mental health sector shared the resources and knowledge they have found most helpful in their own work and lives.
