You are not alone.
Your mental health matters.

The impact and experience of the COVID-19 outbreak has been different for everyone, but there's no doubt it's been a really difficult time for us all. That's why it's so important to do what we can to look after our mental health and wellbeing - now more than ever - and to reach out if you need support.

We all need good mental health and wellbeing - it's essential to living happy and healthy lives, and can help us sleep better, feel better, do the things we want to do and have more positive relationships. It can also help us deal with difficult times in the future.

Some degree of anxiety is normal as we live through a COVID-19 pandemic. Feeling low or down about restrictions on our normal lives is also a normal response. That means it's more important than ever to know the key steps to managing your mental health. Resilience is the ability to adapt well to any challenges and stress you may face in life. The more resilient you are, the more you will feel able to bounce back from difficult experiences. We're in one of those times now, taking steps now can protect your mood from dropping or your anxiety increasing over the lockdown period and build your resilience for the long haul. Self-care is far more than simply spa nights and taking an extra nap. Self-care can be checking in with yourself to notice how you are feeling, it can be pushing yourself to get involved in a new community, or it can be prioritizing a morning routine that sets you up to crush the day. Finding what works for you is key. Self-care is everywhere and is for everyone. It is in the way you show yourself love and compassion and in the way you check in with the people around you.

"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation."

Audre Lourde

Self-care is different for everyone, because everyone is just that - different. Find what works for you and ditch what does not fill you up; no judgement, just straight up you time. Science says that self-care helps mitigate symptoms of burnout. So, find what you like and take the time for yourself - you'll thank yourself later. This is your life. This is your time. Invest in yourself. Do the things you need to do to be the best you possible. You need it. And, the world needs you.