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Leaving behind things that are familiar and setting out into the unknown is unsettling. During lockdown we have perhaps all had a bit too much of home and familiar things, but that does not make the wider world any less threatening; in some ways it makes it more so. “Supporting Good Mental Health” is a series of reflections from The Church of England.

What does love look like? Some people find it hard to say “I love you!” but it can also be too easy to say the words without really knowing what they mean. Perhaps they just mean a nice warm feeling inside? Real love – for God or others – is visible in what we do and how we live. How is your love visible to others? “Supporting Good Mental Health” is a collection of 13 reflections from The Church of England.

Forgiveness makes good business for self-help books. How do I forgive? How can I let go? We often hear that forgiveness is good for you. It makes you feel better. All easy to say.  “Supporting Good Mental Health” is a collection of 13 reflections from The Church of England.

Have you ever said, “I’m in two minds about that!”? Sometimes we find ourselves torn between what we’d like to do, and what we think we should do.  “Supporting Good Mental Health” is a collection of 13 reflections from The Church of England.

“Don’t worry!” Easy to say, and hard to do. If only we had a “worry switch”, so that we could simply turn off our worries! “Supporting Good Mental Health” is a collection of 13 reflections from The Church of England.

We often think that “blessed” means “happy”, but how can those who are unhappy be happy? “Supporting Good Mental Health” is a collection of 13 reflections from The Church of England.

Have you ever been busy with work or a task and, having got through it all, then found the anti-climax afterwards even harder to deal with?  “Supporting Good Mental Health” is a collection of 13 reflections from The Church of England.

Where did that thought come from?! We’ve all had the experience of thinking something strange and wondering where the idea came from.  “Supporting Good Mental Health” is a collection of 13 reflections from The Church of England.

Life sometimes feels like one long to-do list. It always seems like someone else manages it better than we do.  “Supporting Good Mental Health” is a collection of 13 reflections from The Church of England.

“What is the passion in your life? Do you spend a lot of time wishing you could do something else, particularly at this moment of global crisis?”  “Supporting Good Mental Health” is a collection of 13 reflections from The Church of England.

Have you ever found yourself not knowing what to say when someone cheerily said “How are you?” “Supporting Good Mental Health” is a collection of 13 reflections from The Church of England.

It has been said that if you cannot stand your own company when alone, you should not impose it on other people! Perhaps this is unfair? Some of us (especially the extroverts) only really get to know ourselves in company with others. However, isolation does have a way of confronting us with some of the things that we try to avoid. “Supporting Good Mental Health” is a collection of 13 reflections from The Church of England.

Loneliness is an experience that we can all relate to, but almost 1 in 5 people in the UK often or always feel lonely. The figures are higher for the elderly and for young people. If you are lonely, it would seem, you are not alone but that is unlikely to provide much comfort. We are social creatures. We need to feel connected to others. “Supporting Good Mental Health” is a collection of 13 reflections from The Church of England.

Even for those of us who like solitude, this can be too much of a good thing. For others, the thought of being cut off from others for a long time is little short of soul destroying. Isolation can be a cause of anxiety, fear and depression. “Supporting Good Mental Health” is a collection of 13 reflections from The Church of England.

“Supporting Good Mental Health” is a collection of 13 reflections from The Church of England, written by Professor Chris Cook and accompanied by “have a go” habits developed by Ruth Rice. You can download a free PDF that includes a total of thirteen reflections on Supporting Good Mental Health from cofe.io/MentalHealth. The effects of mental health problems are huge. Nearly nine out of ten people with mental health problems have been affected by stigma and discrimination. Given the challenging times we are living in with coronavirus, the reflections in this series were updated and new resources written in March 2020. They seek to provide hope, reassurance and comfort. If you want to speak to someone, please visit the Mental Health Foundation website, which has lots of helpful resources and contacts. Visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk.