What Mental Health Really Looks Like (Spoiler: It’s Not Always Meditation)
When you picture "good mental health," you might imagine someone sitting cross-legged in silence, meditating with a candle glowing in the background. While meditation can be a powerful tool, it’s not the whole story. Real mental health isn't a perfect image—it's messy, nonlinear, and deeply personal.
I remember one client who came into my office in tears because she thought she was "failing" at self-care. She had downloaded all the right apps, journaled every night, and bought a weighted blanket—but still felt overwhelmed and emotionally exhausted. When we explored deeper, it wasn’t about the tools. It was about the pressure she felt to always be okay. And that pressure was what was actually draining her.
Sometimes mental health looks like:
Saying "no" to protect your energy.
Taking a nap when your body is screaming for rest.
Crying after a long day and not feeling shame about it.
Logging off social media to avoid comparison spirals.
Asking for help when you're used to handling everything alone.
Mental health isn't about being happy all the time. It's about being able to navigate the hard moments, recognize when you need support, and build habits that nurture your emotional well-being. And yes, that might include meditation—but it can also include messy conversations, quiet car rides, setting boundaries, or watching your comfort show for the third time this month.
Mental wellness also involves resilience—the ability to bounce back after challenges—and emotional flexibility. It's learning how to sit with uncomfortable feelings without needing to immediately fix them. It means identifying what coping tools work for you, whether it's therapy, journaling, medication, movement, rest, or spiritual practices.
Most importantly, mental health doesn’t mean being positive all the time. It means being honest with yourself about where you are, and knowing that seeking support doesn’t mean you're broken. It means you're human. If all you did today was survive, that’s enough. That counts.
