Over the years, within the Balance Collective Personal Development Book Club, we have delved into many books that support our mental health. We have looked at mindfulness, resilience, maternal mental health and what it means to be human. However, the first book of 2021 is something that these books lack; a full and practical toolkit for managing modern life.
A Toolkit for modern life (53 ways to look after your mind*) by Dr Emma Hepburn, is one of the most accessible and practical books on mental health I have ever read. Whilst Dr Hepburn is immensely qualified, she doesn’t overcomplicate science behind mental health. Instead, she talks matter-of-factly about not only the challenges so many of us face, but the tools we can use, every day, to support our emotional and mental wellbeing.
She takes into consideration that some of the concepts to support your mind can be, at times, hard to picture, so she uses her trademark illustrations to cover topics such as what triggers unhappy thoughts to overcoming the fear of making mistakes. You can see more of her designs on her Instagram page; they began as a tool to help her clients in clinic, they are now an easier way of visualising complicated or challenging topics. I can see how these can also help us explain these tools to the younger people in our lives and help them build a toolkit ready for everything life may throw at them!
The book helps us challenge our thoughts around what mental health is (a spectrum that shifts and changes, rather than fixed for “well” and “not”) and that it’s something we need to pay attention to, and focus on, the same way we do physical health. It empowers us to do things that make a difference every day and supports us to get in tune with our emotions, and the red flags that we need to pay attention to when our mental and emotional health is sliding into the struggling zone. It also provides us parents with tools and techniques we can pass on to the next generation to help them manage the ups and downs life provides.
So, without further ado, here are the three things you need to know from “A toolkit for modern life; 53 ways to look after your mind”* by Dr Emma Hepburn.
- You need to know your tipping points.
Early on in the “toolkit”, Dr Hepburn highlights the building blocks of mental well-being and what can get in our way (namely coping mechanisms vs stressors and vulnerabilities). She encourages self-reflection to make sure we know the healthy coping mechanisms that work for us, such as sleep, exercise, connection, and the things that can stress us, work, poor physical health, stress and worries. If you were to write up your “capacity cup” right now, how would it look?
- The interaction between physical and mental health is closer than you may assume.
Often, we consider mental health as separate or unrelated to our physical health. In fact, Dr Hepburn details that there is massive inter-related and actually, things like stress can be managed with movement (within the ‘stress roundabout’) and thinking about our emotional state can support the management of them. How often do you check into the emotional messages your body is telling you?
- We need to drop the “coping” facade.
What has been so clear throughout the book is we need to drop the “stiff upper lip.” A clear thread through the book is the need to identify and accept the emotions we are feeling; they are ultimately communication within our body! One useful aspect is the concept of understanding the triggers of our negative emotions; to then work on reducing or removing them. Likewise, you can find the trigger of positive emotions and increase how often they are in your life.
The book claims to help us “cultivate positive habits and feel more confident, happier and in tune with yourself.” I have to say that, I think, this claim is more than justified. It’s practical, honest credible and, if I’m blunt, essential in every household that wants to take control of their mental wellness. So, off you go. Go get it and start creating your own toolkit!
Click here to read the other personal development book reviews and read more about balance.
*This is an affiliate link. Should you click on the link and purchase, I may get a few pennies but it won’t impact the cost for you.
Clara Wilcox is a straight talking, practical and experienced coach helping clients navigate the tricky waters of returning to work, career changes and professional development. The Balance Collective is a social enterprise focused on improving the lives of parents, by working together to build inner confidence and promote a healthy work/life balance.
