As this is our last #WellnessWednesday in May, it felt important to share tips on how to care for oneself post this mental health awareness month. Just like physical health mental health can be good or bad; good mental health needs continuous rekindle or activities that maintain that state whereas bad mental health requires one put in the work to change this. When someone tells you that sleeping in a mosquito net prevents malaria you do not doubt them or when they say brushing your teeth daily prevents cavities you do this no question asked; why then have we watered down issues of mental health?

We are quick to realize when people we love have their check engine light on yet drive around with our mental health on ‘I know my car.’ We also know what we want to receive from people that we love yet seem to be stuck in an unrequited love affair with ourselves. This article seeks to teach us about self love languages, the difference and how to love ourselves in more than just a hashtag. A love language by definition is a way for one to be shown love that is best received. The five love languages are; physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, gifts and acts of service. This concept has always been branded for couples but through research it has been discovered that these languages apply to self as well.

Sometimes self love fails because we are trying to treat it like a one size fits all sweatshirt by doing whatever we see everybody else doing and feel frustrated when it doesn’t seem to work. Mental health practice relies so much on the concept of looking within and actually get to know the person you’re helping in this case being yourself. The beauty of experimenting with self is you can do so many things until you find out the ones that make you feel most loved by you!