May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Scroll down for amazing ideas each day on how you can implement the #PositivityPledge.

Click HERE to download our Positivity Pledge Calendar!

Week 1: Nutrition & Well-Being

May 1 - Post Something on Social Media

  • Share that you’ve taken the Positivity Pledge with friends & family and encourage them to join you!

May 2 - Learn about the connection between nutrition and mental health. Share it.

May 3 - Make a healthy snack to boost your mental health. 

May 4 - Spread the love by sending out a healthy snack to those in need.

  • If you are able to, put your baking skills to use and bake healthy goods to donate to a local hospital, police station or fire station (make sure they will accept homemade items)
  • Order a meal from a local restaurant to be delivered to the local hospital, police station, or fire station.
  • Purchase a few extra cans of food for a nearby food pantry.

May 5 - Find a relaxing activity and focus on me-time.

  • Create a photo book, or at least start the process. It could be related to a time period, age, or theme.
  • Start a healthy recipe book that you can use whenever you cook. 
  • Take a walk, Sit outside 
  • Write a journal entry
  • Pop some popcorn and watch your favorite movie

May 6 - Prepare a healthy meal for your family/friends.

  • Plan a healthy meal for your family and if possible, prepare and cook. 
  • Create a menu for the entire day, and if possible, prepare and cook.
  • Share recipes with your family and friends around the world you can all cook and eat together.
  • Find a local, healthy restaurant you can support for dinner.
  • Order dinner from a local, healthy restaurant and have it delivered to friends or family

May 7 - Find a healthy stress reliever.

  • Have fun making play dough. You can even add essential oils to make aromatherapy dough! Check out recipes here
  • Make a Stress Ball to maintain your stress level and stay balanced. Instructions here
  • Consider meditation, breathing exercises or other activities that may help.
  • Take a walk, Sit outside 
  • Write a journal entry
  • Pop some popcorn and watch your favorite movie

Week 2: Gratitude

May 8 - Share your progress!

  • Post a social media update for your friends and family on your progress with the Positivity Pledge!
  • Share with your family and friends what you are grateful for to kick off gratitude week.
  • Make sure to tag Erika’s Lighthouse 

May 9 - Identify your trusted friends, family, adults.

  • Write down 3 trusted family members, friends or adults you could go to if you were feeling down and needed help. Thank them!
  • Tag them on social media to boost their spirits and know you care.

May 10 - Make a list of who/what you are grateful for...

  • Create a vision board of all the things you are looking forward to in the coming months. Get started here
  • Start a Gratitude Jar or Gratitude Journal and see if you can do it  for the entire month! Read more here

May 11 - Show your gratitude.

  • Offer to help an elderly neighbor in their yard. Keep your distance! 
  • Send  a card to a local nursing home letting the  nurses, staff and/or residents
  • Send a card to the local hospital, police station, fire station with words of thanks

May 12 - Make a list of traits you love about yourself.

  • Think about what you love about yourself and write them down. They can be about your personality, appearance, morals and ethics, beliefs or anything! Nothing is too small to appreciate.

May 13 - Make a connection.

  • Set up a video chat with family or friends while eating, playing a game, or watching a show and feel like you are together.
  • Reach out to an extrovert that may be struggling right now.

May 14 - Make a list of the traits you love about someone else.

  • Think about what you love about someone else and write it down! It can be about their personality, appearance, morals and ethics, beliefs or anything! Nothing is too small to appreciate. Consider sharing it with them.

Week 3: Exercise

May 15 - Remind folks about your pledge!

  • Send an email to your friends, family, coworkers and others on your commitment to the Positivity Pledge!
  • Post on social media about your pledge
  • Make sure to tag Erika’s Lighthouse

May 16 - Learn about the connection between exercise and mental health. Share it.

  • Share on social media 2-3 ways to improve your mental health
  • Ask your friends how they do it!

May 17 - Exercise.

May 18 - Move and do good.

  • If the weather is cooperating, take a walk while picking up trash. Make sure to wear gloves and bring a bag to collect the trash. 
  • Take a mindfulness walk

May 19 - Exercise

  • Create a playlist of 10 songs or more that get you motivated to be active.
  • And ask your friends and family to add to it!
  • Take a mindfulness walk

May 20 - Play a Game

  • Play a game that doesn’t include technology: puzzles, card games, board games
  • Play a round or more of Charades with your family

May 21 - Exercise

  • Start a new healthy habit for the future.
  • Take a mindfulness walk

Week 4: Mindfulness

May 22 - Send out positive messages.

  • Share a positive message with 5 different friends. Share via phone, text, email, or social media.
  • Collect your favorite memes from online and send them out by tagging friends.

May 23 - Learn about other’s mental health.

  • Take a few moments to read some blogs written by teens and for teens about how they are feeling during this time. Share them! Read them here

May 24 - Find a relaxing activity.

May 25 - Perform kindness.

  • Spread goodness through five random acts of kindness online, at the grocery or with neighbors.
  • Send random gift cards, flowers or other special treats to people you love.

May 26 - Self-Reflect.

  • Stress is normal, but too much stress increases the risk for health problems like depression. Name 4 things that can cause stress and how you can avoid them!
  • Explain how you know you are stressed. How do you experience it in your body? Why is it important to be aware of your own personal stress indicators?
  • After naming 4 things that caused stress, now list 4 ways to avoid or reduce stress in your life.

May 27 - Reach out to someone in need.

  • Go to Teens on ErikasLighthouse.org to learn about depression, what it looks like and how to help yourself or a friend in need.
  • Do you have a friend you are worried about? Read more about how to help a friend in need. Then reach out to them! Read here

May 28 - Meditate and chill

  • Download a relaxation or meditation app such as Headspace, Calm, Colorfy or Stop, Breathe & Think. 
  • Download a meditation app and try it out as a healthy coping strategy. Read about it here

Closing

May 29 - Share a recap.

  • Send a recap to your family and friends about how the Positivity Pledge changed your outlook!
  • Identify three activities you are going to try to make part of your routine.

May 30 - Reflect & Change

May 31 - You did a great job! Relax and take some time to yourself!

Tag Us! - #PositivityPledge

Throughout May remember to tag Erika's Lighthouse on social media!

Facebook: @Erikas Lighthouse | Twitter: @Erikas_LH | LinkedIn: @Erika's Lighthouse | Instagram: @Erikas.Lighthouse
#GetDepressionOutoftheDark