Mental Health Awareness Week is hosted by the Mental Health Foundation. It takes place on 10-16 May 2021 and this year’s theme is NATURE.
The week is open to everyone and is about starting conversations about mental health and the things in our daily lives that can affect it. This year, the Mental Health Foundation wants as many people as possible – individuals, communities and governments – to think about connecting with nature and how nature can improve our mental health.
Their two clear aims are:
- to inspire more people to connect with nature in new ways, noticing the impact that this connection can have for their mental health
- to convince decision makers at all levels that access to and quality of nature is a mental health and social justice issue as well as an environmental one.
For more information, you can visit the Mental Health Foundation website and read through their FAQs.
Although it’s always good to have an opportunity to raise awareness of mental health, I was even more excited to get involved because of the theme. I’ve always felt a spiritual connection to nature. It has a grounding, peaceful effect as well as a voice that teaches and encourages me as a human being.
During Mental Health Awareness Week, The Fat.Ugly Blog will be dedicating seven days to:
- Experience nature – Honestly, it’s timely because last week I was so busy that I hardly left the house, so I aim to get out more this week.
- Share nature – I’ll be sharing photos and videos on Instagram and Facebook (and maybe a couple of additional blog posts this week!) so jump over there and join me if you haven’t already.
- Talk about nature – it’s very easy to connect with nature in my current local environment, but I’ll also be talking about how I connect with nature when I’m in the city … London and New York specifically.
What are you going to do to connect with Nature this week?