Wellbeing

Tips for wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” – Robert Brault

Appreciation

Appreciation is a feeling of thankfulness or an act of recognising something that is important or meaningful to you.

We can appreciate or recognise another person through complementing them and sharing what you like about them. We can say ‘thank you’ to others when someone is helpful or supportive. This has benefits for both our mental health and for the people around us. We can also appreciate ourselves – you are important and unique! Remember to celebrate when you achieve big and small things and stop to appreciate what you have done.

Learning to appreciate others and ourselves can improve our self-esteem, improve our mood and improve our relationships with others.

Our tips for appreciation:

1. Create a “be proud” board at home or at school where you post your drawings or good deeds.
2. Start a gratitude journal – write or draw things that make you feel proud or happy every day.
3. Give a compliment – think about a person who is important to you and tell them 3 things that you like about them. You could write a letter or a small note to let them know how much you appreciate them. Use these sentence starters to help you:

• I like how you…
• You are…
• Thank you for…
• You make me happy when you…

4. Say ‘thank you’ – remember to thank other people throughout the day, to show them you appreciate what they do for you. If you have a friend who speaks another language, you could learn to say ‘thank you’ in the language that they speak. You could also learn to say ‘thank you’ in Makaton (sign language) too! Have a look at the video to help you!
5. Self-appreciation – think of something small that you have achieved this week. Pause and take a minute to appreciate what you have done. Which of your positive qualities did you use? Kindness, thoughtfulness, curiosity, creativity?

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

Tips for wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer” – Albert Einstein 

Persistence

Persistence is all about keeping going, even when times are challenging. It is normal to want to give up when you are going through something difficult, but if you can stick with it and overcome the obstacles, you will be closer to achieving your goals.

Having a growth mindset will help us persist, which means you believe you can learn, grow and develop your skills by putting in the hard work and practise. This can be tricky, so make sure you reach out to friends and trusted adults to support you.

Our tips for persistence:

1. Break the goal down into smaller steps. You can set yourself smaller goals that are more achievable, to help you reach your ultimate goal. Make sure the smaller goals are linked to your ultimate goal; this may help to encourage you to keep going, as you will be able to measure your progress.
2. Try something new – this could be a new hobby, sport, craft activity, or puzzle. Having a go at something new can help to develop your persistence, whilst also having fun. You might find it challenging at first, but you will receive a greater sense of reward and achievement by sticking with it!
3. Positive self-talk – instead of saying “I can’t”, add “yet” onto the end of the sentence. This tells your brain that it might be difficult, but you will get there in the end.
4. Talk to yourself like a friend – we are often kinder to our friends than we are to ourselves, when we go through challenging times. Practise talking to yourself like you would talk to a friend! What advice would you give if a friend told you they were rubbish at something? What would you say if they felt they wanted to give up?
5. Practise mindfulness. A good way to improve our mental wellbeing is by paying more attention to the present moment and the world around us. Think about sounds and smells around you, what can you see, and how does this make you feel. By being more aware, this can improve our mental wellbeing and enable us to improve skills such as being persistent.

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

Tips for wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

“Kindness is not weakness; it is strength wrapped in grace,” – Anonymous

Strength

Each of us has a unique set of strengths and abilities that help us face life’s challenges. Focusing on your strengths doesn’t mean ignoring your weaknesses — it means using what you’re naturally good at to help you grow, build confidence, and work through tough times. In doing so, you move closer to living a more fulfilling and resilient life.

Our Tips for strength:

1. Appreciate your strength – when you experience a difficult time, it’s easy to forget how strong you are! Try and remember other times in your life when you’ve got through something challenging. Remember how strong you were to get through those circumstances and know you have the strength to get through other difficulties too.
2. Remind yourself “all we can do is try our best” and “you are good enough”.
3. Being kind to others can help build our own strength as well as others! As a class, have a go at playing ‘kindness bingo’ by following this link: School Of Kindness
4. Take Time to Rest and Recharge – your mind needs breaks just like your body. Take a few quiet minutes to breathe, read, draw, or go outside. That helps your brain feel strong and calm.
5. Ask for Help When You Need It – being strong doesn’t mean doing everything alone. It’s smart and brave to ask for help – that’s how we grow and learn!

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

Tips for wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

Mind And Body

“Your mind is like a garden. With care, it will bloom beautifully” – Unknown

Just as we look after our physical health, it’s important to look after our mental health. In fact, the two are closely connected!

Most of us will know what it’s like to feel worried, stressed or low from time to time. We might be affected by our relationships with friends and classmates or things we see on the news, and we might feel worried about school or our home lives (this is understandable!) Recognising how our mind health and physical health work together can keep us mentally healthy.

Our Tips for looking after your Mind and Body:

To ensure a healthy mind and body, why not try some of the activities below? Can you choose one
from each category?

1. Physical– healthy eating with plenty of water, time away from technology and get fresh air where you can, regular exercise every day (e.g., walk to school or get off the bus a stop earlier, dance, or stretch), a consistent sleep schedule (children aged 6-12 years should aim for 9-12 hours sleep per night, adolescents should aim for 8-10 hours).
2. Social– spend quality time with friends and family, connect with others in person (as well as online), join a club or community group, reach out to others and don’t be afraid to ask for help or offer support.
3. Practical– keep a daily routine to create structure and stability, use checklists to act as reminders and to hold yourself accountable, get ready for the day each morning, set yourself small and achievable goals to stay motivated.
4. Emotional– develop supportive friendships, write down three good things from your day, take time to do something relaxing every day, practise self-kindness (e.g., treat yourself how you would treat a friend!)

The Anna Freud Centre has some fabulous resources to help you and your child develop a self-care plan, that you can download here.

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

Tips for wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

“Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.” -Winston Churchill

Being Brave

We can show bravery in lots of different ways, such as recognising that we feel a certain way (e.g., sad, anxious), asking someone for help when we need it and trying new things, even if we feel scared!

Feeling scared is often a sign that we are doing something challenging and it is completely normal to feel this way. Even though it can feel uncomfortable, being brave and facing these difficulties can also help us to learn and grow (both physically and emotionally). This can mean we need to step outside our comfort zone at times to be able to overcome challenges, but it is important to remember that being brave does not mean we have to cope alone.

Our Tips for Being Brave:

1. Set yourself a goal to try something new. Create a plan to break your goal down into smaller, more achievable steps! This can help your goal to feel less overwhelming.
2. Take chances and make mistakes! Sometimes it is helpful to fail, so you can practise being brave. Try something you have been wanting to try and take that chance to move out of your comfort zone. You might even find that it wasn’t as bad as you thought it would be.
3. Practise positive self-talk to help develop your bravery. Repeat these sentences to yourself or out loud – ‘I can do hard things’; ‘ I try my best’; ‘I can enjoy challenge’. You might want to write positive statements on post-it notes and stick them around your mirror so you can remind yourself of them every day!
4. Ask for help when you need it from someone you trust. Taking the step to talk to someone is one of the bravest things you can do!
5. Strike a power pose! Standing up tall with your feet apart, your head held high and with your hands on your hips can help make you feel more confident and ready to take on a challenge. What pose makes you feel more confident?

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

Tips for wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

“Your future depends on your dreams, so go to sleep.” — Mesut Barazany

Rest

It is important to work hard, stay motivated and set goals to achieve in life. It is also important to not overwork yourself and get enough rest to help manage your stress and unwind so you can stay motivated and prevent burnout in the long run.

Rest is vital for your mental health as it can improve your concentration, memory, critical thinking, and thinking, planning for the future, problem-solving, mood, immune system, reduce stress, and helps your body’s metabolism and physical recovery.

Rest can be difficult to define because it can look different for everyone. It can be anything physical or mentally stimulating that improves wellbeing such as going for a walk, singing, drawing, cycling, playing games, watching TV/streaming, exercising, playing sports, reading, dancing, listening or creating music, writing, crafting, relaxing or anything else you enjoy!

Our Top Tips For Rest

1. After you have done something important like studying, chores or homework, reward yourself by doing something enjoyable that helps you recharge.
2. Set aside enough time each day for hygiene. This can be showering, brushing teeth, washing hair. These regular activities can help you to relax.
3. Create a healthy sleep routine by avoiding caffeine or sugary drinks near bedtime, ensure you are warm and comfortable in bed and limit screentime.
4. Engage in some mindfulness or restful activity, such as meditation, reading, listening to calming music, podcasts or bedtime stories. The Calm App has lots of meditations, soundscapes and stories.

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

Tips for wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” Albert Einstein 

Change

Changes are a normal part of our lives and they affect us all in different ways. Some changes may feel small to you, but big to another person, and the opposite for a different change. For example, moving to a new class or school, moving homes, or starting a new club. They can feel exciting, but they can also feel overwhelming and stressful, especially when they are unexpected. Below are some tips to help you cope with changes that may feel hard for you.

Our tips for coping with change:

1 – Keep doing things you enjoy! When we feel stressed or worried, it can be easy for us to focus on the worries all the time and forget to do the things that make us happy. Make sure to plan in time at the weekends and evenings to do things you enjoy to help you relax and boost your mood!

2 – Think about what you can control. When a change is unexpected or overwhelming, we can feel a bit like we have no control over the situation or how it is making us feel. It can be helpful to think about what you do have control over in this situation. For example, we can’t control how the change makes us feel but we can control how we react to the situation and what we do following the change. Such as, staying connected with our friends and family, keeping to our daily routines, and planning ahead where we can.

3 – Look for the positives. While change can feel hard, there’s often something good that comes from it, even if it is not immediately obvious. Such as, new opportunities, new people or learning experiences. You might even surprise yourself and enjoy the change!

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

Tips for wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside.” – Anne Frank 

Get Outdoors

Spending time outdoors is great for your body and mind! It can improve your mood, reduce feelings of stress, improve your confidence, helps you to be more active and can reduce loneliness.

How to get outside more:

1. Take a Nature Walk
   Find a park, trail, or even your garden and take a walk. Look around for birds, trees, and flowers that you can spot. You could try taking photographs and share them with a friend.
2. Play a Sport or Game
   Whether it’s football, netball or running, outdoor sports are a great way to get moving. They also help us develop our communication skills when we play as part of a team!
3. Do a Scavenger Hunt
   Make a list of things to find outside—like a particular leaf or a butterfly—and go on a hunt to find them!
4. Bring Your Hobby Outside
   Do you like drawing, reading, or listening to music? Try doing it outside! Find a comfy spot on the grass and enjoy your favourite activities in the fresh air.
5. Have a snack outside
   Try taking a snack outside and eating it while focusing on the food and what is going on around you.
6. Watch the Stars
   On a clear night, lie on a blanket and look up at the stars. You might even see a shooting star or spot constellations.
7. Meet up with a friend outside

It can be helpful to get outdoors every day, even if only for a short time. You could try walking to a friend’s house or to the shop instead of travelling by car or getting public transport. You could try to make getting outside part of your daily routine, whether it is riding a bike or sitting in a garden or park while you listen to music.

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

Tips for wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

“It’s good to talk.” Bob Hoskins

Talking

We can’t always see when people are struggling, and people may not be able to see when we are struggling. We need to ask people how they are feeling, and we need to let them know how we are feeling so we can help each other.

There are people we can talk to if we are struggling; whether that be someone in our life already, such as a family member, a friend, or staff in school or college, or someone such as a mental health professional. Always try and speak to someone who you trust and someone who you feel will be able to help you.

There is no shame in wanting to speak with someone about your feelings, we all need to do
it sometimes, it is an action of bravery!

Our Top Tips For Talking

1. If you want to speak to someone but are struggling to, try writing your thoughts and
   feelings down or drawing a picture to show how you are feeling and giving this to
   someone you trust instead.
2. You can also agree to have a ‘safe word’ to use with someone too, which signals that you
   have something you would like to talk about. For example, you may agree with a family
   member or teacher that you will say ‘bananas!’ when you need a private chat. Make sure
   you say it so that they hear and notice it.
3. Draw your handprint and on each finger, write someone’s name who you could speak to
   if you needed to talk about something.
4. Try and write down a list of ways you could support someone if they were talking to you
   about worries or sad feelings they were having.
5. Remember, you are never a burden for asking for support…there is always someone who
   will want to help.

Follow this link for information on who you can talk to: Young Minds

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.