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I never considered myself to be a delicate flower until so many people in my life put me in that box. “You’re so sensitive,” is something I’ve been hearing all my life since I was a child.

Taking Care of Your Mental Health is More Important Now than Ever BeforeShayda Windle. A decade ago, mental health was not something discussed within the workplace primarily due to the stigma attached to it. However, this has changed in recent years, and mental health is now an open topic of conversation among businesses of all sizes around the world. Whether you are a small business owner or a Fortune 500 company, business leaders are prioritizing the discussion around mental health. With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, we thought it would be beneficial to share a few tips we have learned the past few years about taking care of our own mental health and finding that balance that entrepreneurs so desperately need.

**This is a work of nonfiction based on actual events that I have experienced firsthand; used with permission. “I’m smart too,” he said. I had grown accustomed to the obligatory reminder of his intelligence, but it was getting old after nearly five months of dating.

In a book I read when I was very young, the author wrote about the “wheel of life.” Sometimes you’re at the top, but you’ll always come back down. And if you’re at the bottom, you have nowhere to go but up. It’s not that profound, but it’s true.

A few months ago I had the pleasure and good fortune to go see Hamilton the musical with my sister, and what was supposed to be one of the most fun days I’ve had in ages turned into a nightmare that I still can’t stop thinking about.

*This is a work of nonfiction based on actual events I experienced firsthand; used with permission. In six months, my daughter will turn fourteen years old, and I will have officially kept a child alive through her tweenage years.

**This is a work of nonfiction based on actual events as told to me by a close friend, who experienced them firsthand; used with permission. Workplace harassment is considered abhorrent in most companies, but that doesn’t stop it from happening. Sometimes the harassment is at the hands of management, but other times the badgering is perpetrated by co-workers. This was the case for a friend who found herself subjected to bullies in the workplace.

I don’t write much online about my mental health issues. In case you missed it, I have major depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Most of my symptoms are under control thanks to a four pill cocktail that I take every morning and don’t think I could possibly live without, but (TMI) lately, since I’ve stopped taking hormonal birth control, my brain juices are all out of whack and I’ve found myself slipping into episodes of deep, serious, verging on a depression that makes me think it’s time to look for a new therapist.

Essential oils can benefit your mental wellness.UnSplash. If you’re suffering from insomnia, a disrupted sleep pattern, or anxiety, essential oils (EOs) may reduce the symptoms associated with these issues, studies show.

Finland has been voted the happiest country in the world for five straight years. Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland and the Netherlands follow closely behind. The United States is certainly known for being in pursuit of happiness but considering the overwhelming population percentages with labels of clinically depressed, I am not sure we are succeeding. Dr. Laurie Santos developed an entire course at Yale University that explores misconceptions about happiness, the features of our minds that lead us to think the way we do, and advice to make changes.

I’ve suffered from depression and other mental health issues for years, and every few years or so there comes a time when I can’t get my emotions and life under control and I spiral down and down, farther down than I usually ever go, and unfortunately begin to consider alternatives to the pain.

I hate to admit it, but the biggest reason I don’t have a “real” job is that I am too anxious and depressed to even consider applying for jobs. I have struggled with my mental health for years, but my last job, well, my last boss to be precise, took a toll on me that has kept me from wanting to re-enter the regular workforce for years.

**This is a work of nonfiction based on actual events that I have experienced firsthand; used with permission. “Get out of the car!” I yelled at him. He just sat there, staring at me with a smirk on his face. We’d been on our way back from Las Vegas when he decided that it was a great time to rehash an old argument.

I sleep with a bear-duck; a dead-eyed teddy bear dressed in a kitschy duck suit. I found it on sale at Aldi after Easter one year, in a huge bin of other bear-ducks, plus some bear-rabbits, and even a few bear-flowers. I didn’t necessarily need a teddy bear, but I did. I was fresh out of a breakup and I’d gotten rid of my teddy bear because it was a gift from my ex. The bear-duck appealed to me because it wasn’t steeped in nostalgia or feeling. It was purely utilitarian, and it were cheap ($3.99). Nearly three years later, I still sleep with the thing.

When the breakthrough is expected remains under debate in the medical science community. Though I am a former mental health professional with training in psychology, I am neither a scientist nor a doctor and I offer no medical advice or diagnosis herein. Please contact a currently practicing medical or mental health professional foranypotential issue related to this article that requires attention.

Doomscrolling, a new health hazard, involves constant engagement with negative news. It bears the hallmarks of addiction and is tough to quit. It’s hard to avoid dismal broadcasts because the media focuses on harrowing events, offering frequent bleak speculations.

Over the years my standards have evolved but I used to not have any dealbreakers or even an idea of what I would and wouldn’t tolerate in a partner. This resulted in me basically having no standards and quite a few frustrating relationships. There is nothing wrong with having benchmarks for what you do and don’t want in a partner.

As far as I’m aware,a romantic relationship doesn’t begin withabuse, the silent treatment, and neglect.Who wouldstayand tolerate that kind of behavior with someone that you’ve just met?If you aren’t emotionally invested it’s easy to leave without a second thought.

I’ve been there. Boyfriend after boyfriend came in and out of my life while I tried to fit them into the mold of what I thought I wanted. I completely poured myself into my relationships. I loved the high at the beginning of every romance but was devastated when I began to feel the low creeping in.

Want to know a surefire way to ruin a relationship and become absolutely miserable? Neglect all of your needs and desires. Immerse yourself in everything your partner likes and be completely agreeable. If you’re upset don’t bring it up, just let it simmer directly beneath the surface. Then after a few months or years ponder the reasons why you’ve lost a sense of who you even are as a person. What’s a great way to avoid this?