5 Mental Health Advocates to Follow on Instagram
A friendly reminder to take care of yourself.
Welcome to 5 for 5, where we spotlight 5 women in 5 minutes or less.
As we navigate yet another year of pandemic-induced #WFH life, it’s no surprise that burnout and Zoom fatigue are setting in. In fact, more than 70% of employees report being burnt out. In light of this staggering stat and in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re sharing five mental health advocates to follow on Instagram.
1. Elyse Fox
The founder of Sad Girls Club, a nonprofit organization committed to providing mental health resources for Black women and POC, Elyse Fox is creating much-needed space for women of color in wellness.
2. Esmé Weijun Wang
On the page and on social media, New York Times bestselling author Esmé Weijun Wang is an advocate for people living with chronic illness and schizoaffective disorder.
3. Anna Zoe
Anna Zoe speaks up for mental health, autism, the LGBTQ+ community, and more. Her powerful posts address important topics such as how the mainstream education system fails neurodiverse people.
4. Larissa May
Founder of #HalftheStory, an organization that empowers people to reevaluate their relationship with social media, Larissa May is bringing digital wellbeing to the forefront of the broader mental health conversation.
5. Bunny Michael
Think of artist Bunny Michael’s posts as friendly reminders to treat yourself with kindness, take care of yourself, express yourself, and, most importantly, love and accept yourself. Because you are worth it.
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How Wordaful Founder Liz Hernandez Prioritizes Her Mental Wellness While Working From Home
From meditating to journaling, she takes time for mental health breaks.
Photo: Johanna Brinckman
Welcome to our editorial series A Day in the Life where we ask successful women we admire to share the daily minutiae of their professional lives, from the rituals that set them up for success to their evening wind-down routines. This month, we sat down with Liz Hernandez, creator of the innovative storytelling platform WORDAFUL. Her secrets to success? Keeping a detailed daily schedule, prioritizing mental health breaks, and going to bed before 10 PM. Read up on her WFH tips below.
Tell us a bit about WORDAFUL. What inspired you to create a platform focused on the importance of how we communicate with others and ourselves?
I was inspired by the need for connection. I spent ten years on morning radio engaging with listeners through storytelling. It’s a special format because you can’t see each other and you’re relating purely through words and emotions. Sharing my vulnerabilities was a catalyst for listeners to call and share their same experiences. The connection was powerful.
Once I left radio and started in television, I missed that human interaction. At the same time, I had a strong desire to make a positive impact in my community. I understood the importance of self-talk and how the words we choose can shape our lives. Any negative messaging we grew up with can be overridden and replaced with encouraging words.
WORDAFUL launched as a passionate project shortly after my mother lost 90 percent of her speech as a result of Alzheimer’s. The gift of communicating is often taken for granted. When my mom lost her ability to use her words, I wanted to be responsible with mine.
Are you a night owl or a morning person? When do you do your most important work and why?
I’m a morning person. The most important work I do is writing. I’ve learned to write in the morning when my mind is fresh and I’m firing on all cylinders. However, when inspiration strikes at night, I have to go to the computer and get it down on the page.
What time do you get up, and what’s the first thing you do upon waking?
I wake up around 6 AM. As soon as I open my eyes, I say “thank you” to my Creator. Then it’s coffee accompanied by gratitude journaling.
What does your morning, pre-work routine look like?
I take a quick glance at my emails. If there’s nothing urgent, I head out for a morning walk with my french bulldog, Albondiga. Breathing fresh air and moving my body is a great mood and energy booster before I start work.
Mark Twain said, “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” What’s the first thing you do when you get to your desk?
I light a scented candle. It makes my workspace more inviting and it’s a nice way to do self-care. Then I open up my planner, review my to-do list and prioritize my schedule.
What are you working on this week?
I’m currently writing new WORDAFUL episodes. I’m scheduling the rollout of our new tees and sweatshirts and prepping for the launch of our Affirmation Cards for Kids!
Photo: Johanna Brinckman
What’s been the most rewarding part of running your business? The most challenging?
The most rewarding part of running this company is the community that is being created and the support it’s giving people. Before the pandemic, we held a monthly event for women to gather, connect and share their stories. They walked in as strangers and left as friends. It was amazing to watch these WORDAFUL Women events grow across the country as well. Last year, we launched an online membership where we could all meet and continue the conversations. It has been a place of comfort, growth, and healing.
The most challenging part is wearing all the hats from creative, marketing, finances, scheduling, and so on. I am very fortunate to have two women on my team whose efforts and energy are equilivant to a team of ten.
Do you ever reach inbox zero? How do you handle the constant influx of inquiries and communication founders are so familiar with?
I feel fortunate that most days my inbox doesn’t feel overwhelming. My team does a great job of filtering emails by their degree of importance or urgency. Then, I schedule time on my to-do list to send replies.
What is your go-to work lunch?
Salmon over salad. If I’m craving more carbs, I’ll add in some rice. Followed by espresso, of course.
What advice do you have for balancing the minutiae of day-to-day tasks with big-picture planning?
Create a detailed daily schedule with your most important priority on top and the steps that are required to move you towards your goal. I’ve learned that if it’s not in your schedule, it’s not going to happen.
What are some work habits that help you stay healthy, productive, and on track to reach your goals?
I take my mental wellness seriously. Staying committed to daily self-care rituals is important to me so I start each day with gratitude journaling. Then, I take a break midday to mediate for 30 minutes. Both of these exercises help me to remember my “why” in pursuing my goals.
Any favorite apps you use regularly?
Instagram is what I use most. It allows me to stay connected to friends and our online community. I also love Duolingo, a language app that keeps me on top of my Spanish.
What are you reading/watching/listening to right now to help you wind down at the end of the day?
I’m listening to early episodes of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” I love how she used her platform as a classroom to teach us about ourselves and the importance of sharing our stories. She says a powerful line in the beginning of the podcast: “Every single person you ever will meet shares that common desire, they want to know, do you see me, do you hear me, does what I say mean anything to you?” It inspires me every time I hear her say it.
When do you go to bed? What’s your “optimal” number of sleep hours?
I go to bed around 9:30 PM. When I get 8 hours of sleep I perform my best.
What’s the most rewarding part of your day?
I really cherish going on my daily walk. I love being outside in nature, listening to good music, and playing with my dog.
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"Mental Health Is Critical When You’re Launching a Business"—Here’s How I Developed Resilience in the Face of Challenges
One founder opens up about her experience with depression.
“Life doesn’t stop to clear a path for you to pursue your startup."
—Thai-Anh Hoang, Founder of EmBeba
Starting a business is a huge challenge, and one thing a lot of entrepreneurs don’t think about before they take the leap is the fact that life doesn’t stop to clear a path for you to pursue your startup. Throughout my adult life, I’ve struggled with my mental health, both because of clinical depression and stressful experiences. And yet, I have managed to build a business during two of the most challenging years of my life.
Being honest about mental health is important in opening up the conversation, and it also allows those of us who are struggling to feel less alone as we develop the skills we need to stay mentally well. My entrepreneurial journey has taught me many things, but perhaps one of the biggest surprises is that I’ve learned how to better cultivate resilience in the face of challenges.
I was diagnosed with depression in my early twenties due to work-related stress and I went to therapy for a year because of it. Then, several years later, my mental health took another hit when my daughter was born and I was diagnosed with severe postpartum depression. While incredibly difficult at the time, this was a blessing in disguise: I became more proactive and aware of my mental health and understood the important balance of therapy, medication, and specific personal habits that could help me.
In 2018, I was on a family trip to Europe with my husband and my infant daughter. It was during this trip that the idea for my clean family skincare brand, EmBeba, came about. The idea for the brand’s first product, a diaper balm, was sparked by a homemade balm a family member gave me in Bosnia. Inspired, I returned home and channeled my energy into building EmBeba, applying modern technology to an age-old family recipe. Redirecting my focus onto a new purpose and entrepreneurial venture was a good strategy for me, and I spent nearly two years building a product and brand that I expected to launch in the spring of 2020.
To say it has not been smooth sailing would be a tremendous understatement. As I worked on launching my business, we lost my dog in a hit-and-run accident, and I miscarried shortly after. But this time, I was able to quickly recognize the signs that I might be sliding into depression. I began taking proactive steps that I knew benefitted my mental health: exercising more often, gardening, and spending time with my family, to name a few. I also reminded myself that I have a lot of positive things in my life and that we are bound by fate. And I became laser-focused on building EmBeba.
Then came COVID. Like many brands expecting big things in early 2020, I was devastated when the pandemic’s effects meant we couldn’t get products or launch the brand I’d been working on for two years. My family also contracted the virus, and my husband and I faced the challenges of recovering while caring for our toddler in isolation. It was a difficult time, but when we emerged I recognized we’d survived–and that was something to be proud of.
We’ve since launched EmBeba. It was later than we’d planned, and we—like many—have had a challenging year. But when I look back at my journey to bringing our first product to market, the resilience and mental toughness I built through my personal challenges really helped me in starting my business. Despite the multiple challenges that came my way while launching my business during COVID, being comfortable with the strategy of tackling each problem as it came kept me from being overwhelmed.
And, having gone through so much in the past several years, I feel like I’ve developed better coping mechanisms—and a steely spine—to plow ahead. Focusing on a goal allowed me to compartmentalize my feelings and redirect my energy positively.
As female founders, we’re often on our own when we start—and that can be a challenge when it comes to developing good habits for managing your mental health. By sharing my story, I hope to open up a dialogue around some of the challenges women entrepreneurs are facing and how we can prepare for and leverage them whenever possible.
Below, I’m sharing three strategies that have helped me cope with disappointment, grief, and uncertainty along the way.
Tune into your mental health.
It’s easy to get wrapped up in your life or business and push down any negativity. My early experience with depression helped me become better attuned to recognizing the potential of falling back into depression. While life is busy and it’s easy to become distracted, I always make sure I’m paying attention to how I’m feeling.
Recognize your triggers.
To that effect, I recognize the triggers that can send me down a slippery slope, having battled with them before. Understanding what situations may be more challenging for you allows you to put support systems or positive habits in place proactively.
Have a plan.
In my case, exercise, gardening, and spending time with my family are all activities that really help me stay positive and well. Take the time to recognize what makes you feel good, and be sure to build that into your plan to stay mentally healthy.
Of course, the challenges of running a business don’t stop after launching—I was in the midst of launching my business while pregnant with my second child. While a product launch and a new baby are two happy, momentous occasions, they come with their fair share of overwhelm. But as I channel my energy into something I’m passionate about, I’m provided with an opportunity to think positively towards the future and cultivate the resilience required to balance motherhood and entrepreneurship.
About the author: Thai-Anh Hoang is the founder of the clean, family-friendly skincare line EmBeba. A daughter of entrepreneurs, she was inspired to start the company after a family member gifted her a generations-old, homemade balm that worked miracles on her family’s sensitive skin. She’s a mom of a toddler with another child on the way.
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Don't Burn Out, Babe: 8 Signs You're Seriously Overdoing It
Don’t let burnout get the best of you.
Photo: Smith House Photography
Today, the modern woman juggles a busy household, a demanding job, an endless to-do list, and, if time permits, a social life (gasp!). We as women… let me rephrase…we as superwomen, often get so busy that we miss signs that our body sends us to tell us it might be time to slow down.
Below are eight signs that you may be overdoing it. If you continue going at the pace you’re going, there may be serious complications down the road. It’s best to detect these signs as early as possible so you can prioritize and evaluate what needs to be done now, and what can wait until later. Without your health, the endless to-do lists and deadlines may not only be completed inadequately, they may never get done.
It’s vital for us superwomen to take care of ourselves so that we can be the superheroes that we are. Don’t miss the signs of burnout so you can keep your flame alive!
1. “I’m feeling on edge and keyed up.”
We all get stressed, overwhelmed, and anxious as a result of daily demands.
Although these feelings are often a normal reaction, it is important to keep a very close eye on these emotions as they can shift from normal to disordered. Anxiety is often hard to put into words, but those who experience anxiety describe it as feeling “on edge” or “keyed up.”
In addition to endless worries, those with an anxiety disorder may experience muscle tension, disrupted sleep, recurrent headaches and symptoms of panic (short of breath, chest tightness, sweaty and tingling in fingers and toes). It’s important to identify if there is a change in the way you are reacting to stress and to seek help before it impairs your ability to function.
2. “I’d prefer to be alone tonight”
When we get busy at work, our social lives can sometimes take a hit. That’s ok temporarily, but it’s important to distinguish if it’s because you just can’t fit in a cocktail with the girls this week, or that you’d genuinely rather be alone. Isolation and withdrawing from previous pleasurable activities and relationships can be a symptom of depression.
3. “Sorry, what did you say, again?”
Have you ever been so overwhelmed that when you’re sitting in a meeting you can’t seem to focus on what is being discussed? Is that because your mind is taking you back to the amazing concert you attended over the past weekend, or is it because regardless of how hard you try, you just can’t seem to concentrate? If it’s the later (and a change from your baseline) then it’s time to reflect on your current level of stress and your current mood; a change in concentration can be affected with both anxiety and depression.
4. “I can’t come into work today….”
An increase in absenteeism from work can be a sign that you’re feeling overwhelmed. People call in sick for both the physical, cognitive, and emotional manifestation of anxiety or depression. Work avoidance can also be a sign of depression.
As important as it is to make the time to care for your mental health, and increase in frequency of work absenteeism is a sign that you may not coping as well. It may be time to ask for help and reprioritize.
5. “….I can’t remember”
When our responsibilities become overwhelming it is normal to have difficulty remembering what your boss wanted done, or what you were asked to bring to your friend’s dinner party. If you start noticing that you’re having more difficulty remembering previously formed memories, you may be experiencing a symptom of depression.
6. “If only I had more sleep”
Whether or not you’re up late perfecting every last detail from the previous day of work, or you’re tossing and turning in bed worrying about everything you need to get done during the following day, it’s vital to get on average 6-8 hours of sleep per night (each individual is different when it comes to the amount of sleep you need, but you will know best).
Consider tracking your sleep on your smart phone or go old school by recording it with pen and paper. When we are overworked, overwhelmed or stressed, our sleep is often one of the first clues that it’s time to slow down. It’s also important to track if you start waking up early (really early, like 4-5 am….and without an alarm clock) as early morning wakening can be a symptom of depression.
7. “No, thank you, I’m not hungry”
When we are stressed, overwhelmed, or just plain busy, we may not just forget to eat, but we can start to lose our appetite. In order for us to be healthy and efficient we need to eat nourishing food throughout the day.
Pack snacks and meals the night before (or the week before) to ensure you get the vitamins and fuel your body needs. If you start noticing a change in your appetite (your desire to eat), it may be a clue that you’re overworked and that your mood could be affected.
8. “I can’t stop crying”
When we get overwhelmed, our body can react to such stress by taking it out on our mood. Some people may not describe their mood as sad per se, but instead they may find themselves tearful without a strong stimulus. It can be normal to be tearful following a stressful day at work, after a disagreement with a co-worker, or upon discovering you didn’t get the promotion you sought all year. If you find yourself more tearful than normal and you’re experiencing some of the signs above, it’s important you let someone know and seek professional help.
This post was published on February 25, 2019, and has since been updated.
About the Author: Blare June is a lifestyle blogger from Halifax, Nova Scotia. What makes Blare June's blog unique is that in addition to fashion she writes about mental illness, empowerment, and overall wellness. When Blare June isn't blogging, she is working as a physician specializing in psychiatry in Halifax. You can find Blare June online at www.blarejune.com or on Instagram: @blarejune.
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6 Podcasts to Listen to on World Mental Health Day
Unplug your mind and plug into these podcasts.
The World Health Organization, or WHO coined October 10th as World Mental Health Day. Here are the WHOs (pun intended) of the podcast world who can help you clear your mind, practice mindfulness, and give you advice when needed. Without further adieu, fill those ears and clear that mind.
Therapy For Black Girls
Licensed Psychologist Dr. Joy Harden Bradford shows us what its like BTS of a therapy session with weekly talks about all things mental health, personal growth, and decision-making. Her goal is to make people the best versions of themselves that they can be with her practical tips and strategies as well as providing context with current trends in that space. She is also open to any questions, so ask away!
Mentally Ch(ill)
We know mental health can be a serious topic, but comedians Kristen Carney adds a zest of humor and lightheartedness that we are addicted to!
Mentally Yours
Another lighthearted take on mental health, however, hosts Yvette Caster and Ellen Scott of Metro.co.uk keep things interesting by chatting to a mystery guest each week and discuss all the complexity in our minds.
The Struggle Bus
Advice from co-hosts Katharine Heller and Sally Tamarkin range from mental health, to self care, to just getting through day-to-day life. They answer listeners’ questions and do not leave any topics off-limits. To them there’s no such thing as a problem that is big or small, or even too weird! Get ready for the wheels in your mind to go round and round, because this podcast will do just that
Talking in Circles
Laura Miller keeps things relatable, authentic, and accessible while opening a safe space for listeners to have the tough convos that we’re often times afraid of having. There is a lot to learn from her and some of her special guests include some of our fave boss babes Joy Cho, Jen Gotch and others!
Let’s Discuss
Friends and Lifestyle Bloggers Ella Gregory and Monica Beatrice Welburn want to grab virtual coffee with their listeners and chat in this podcast that totally goes hand in hand with the C&C brand. They talk about everything, aka “life etc.” and help you navigate you through your lives so you can live the best you can with what you have and end up at the right destination for you. Now, you can listen to how to take on your life journey while on your commuting journey to the office!
Speaking of on brand podcasts, forget to also subscribe to our very own WorkParty podcast if you haven’t already!
By: Ashley Banayan
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