Covid-19 Mental Health Survival kit

Here is our 6 step guide to feeling better during the CoVid - 19 pandemic. We will be adding resources as we collect them and would love your input as well! Please remember to reach out if you need support. We've got you.          - The Wild and Wonderful Crew

Step 1: Manage your Media

This is an awesome article from Medium with links to apps that will actually help make you feel better! Everything else - make sure you are LIMITING your time on social media and watching the news. Research has shown that your overall happiness is inversely related to the time you spend watching the news and social feeds. Make sure you are turning it off!

Step 3: Get Outside

Free for all, without a subscription barrier, is our Nature Breaks download. Getting outside, sitting in the yard or even paying attention to a house plant has been proven to relieve stress, improve our immune system and much much more. Click above for 10+ ways to use this free mental health resource: Nature. 

Step 5: Gratitude

Practicing gratitude daily actually changes your brain! It decreases feelings of fear, and increases your ability to think clearly and make good decisions. Plus it's a huge dump of all the good neurotransmitters that make us feel the warm fuzzies. If there is one thing we recommend you do right now, it's this. Click on the image for an article with 9 steps for creating your own gratitude practice!

Step 2: Make a Schedule

Click on the image to download a daily planner template! Print or make your own, there are instructions on the second page. Creating a routine for yourself will prevent burnout, help you manage expectations, and give you a sense of time in this era of quarantine where time stands still.

Step 4: Plan for Joy

Laughter is another source of dopamine and immune boosters. Make time on purpose to play and laugh! Here are some of our favorite ways to find joy:

• Some Good News
• Readers Digest List of Funny Books 2019
• The funniest book I've ever read...
• Play a practical joke!

Step 6: Ask for Help

Access to help and good information right now is critical. If the help you need is social/emotional, make a list of people you can reach out to for support. If the help you need is medical or financial, here are some links that we trust:

• SAMHSA's Guide to CoVid and mental health.
• SAMHSA's Guide to talking with children.
• Business and other resources from the Outdoor Industry Foundation (Remarkably helpful for everyone!)
• The Colorado Crisis Text Line: Not just for a crisis, they are also great at helping you feel better! 1-844-493-TALK (8255) or text TALK to 38255 to speak to a trained professional.