In my ‘new normal’, I here by declare that all Fridays will be mental health days. For me, this means that I will prioritize things that improve my mental health on Fridays. I will avoid doctors appointments and treatment appointments that are not directly related to improving my mental health. Just as I make exercise a priority in my day-to-day life, I will make mental health a priority on Fridays.

For me, making mental health a priority means taking the time for a longer bike ride (whenever I am able). It means taking the day off of work to visit with friends or to go camping for the weekend. Some Fridays it means visiting my therapist, as I start some cognitive behavior therapy so that I don’t feel that every pain is a recurrence and go down the spiral that was my crisis last week.

This doesn’t mean I’m not working on Fridays – as sometimes working is exactly what I need to be doing to improve my mental health. It just means that when I decide what I shall be doing on a given Friday, I shall do that with a mindful intention of improving my mental health – whatever that happens to look like at the time.

So, from now on, for me, Fridays are my mental health days!