Labor Day 2016
Labor day is in celebration of the workforce, the backbone of our economy, but why then does it have such a uninspiring name? As a writer who writes daily for Helium, words are a great way to get in touch with your thoughts.

Many times I start my writing day a bit grumpy, especially on Monday mornings, much preferring to sleep until ten. Then wow, I survey ideas and writing notions and my outlook changes drastically.

About the word labor. It sets a tone that gives little incentive but if one overlooks its connotations and instead prefers to see the work day as a way to start on a new day, a new adventure with less depressing thoughts, then mental health has inched forward. And good mental health is what living and working is all about. Therefore be joyful about Labor Day and celebrate it joyfully and stop allowing it's bad associations get you down.

PS. The picture? Generally I I upload one of my scribblings of art or some scanned piece of past art, doodle or what not, but this time, it's a picture of my daughter and myself. I have the long blond hair and with my right arm I'm holding my baby. She's grown now, has a family of her own and is the proud owner of her own baby safety business. I'm holding my baby safely and whether or not I'm having more fun as a blond, gray headed old lady, is debatable but that picture popped up when I went searching for an appropriate picture to adorn my Labor Day viewpoints for mental health.

Today, May 25, is graduation day for may high school students around the nation. It's about the most important day of their lives whether they know it or not. That's so for many reasons: They're now assuming their new roles as adults and with this freedom from many rules they've had to obey at school, they're now free to choose. Of course the new school, college, a business school, or straigt to work or to job hunting will have their own rules.

Nothing changes for these students except they now have more say in the decision making that concerns them. And it's hoped that they will decide to stay on the side of mental health and will learn how to begin thinking, acting and living their lives that will keep them on the track toward sane and a healthy future.

A first step will be in learning how to take care of themselves. As the cookbook images above show, away at school or at home, learning how to eat properly, prepare one's own meals is fast becoming a necessity and not an elective course.

Congratulations to 2012 graduates everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When thinking about mental health sometimes it's easy to forget about all those who are mentally sick. We get stuck on thinking about ourselves and forget that but for the grace of God they would be us. Compassion for the sick and finding every means of trying to improve their lot is what cures or relief from mental illness is all about. Yet that is a task for the professionals, all this mini blog has to offer is how to reign in on our less than healthy thoughts and ways of life. More on that later. To be continued:

How not to follow the crowd

Following those who know where they're going is not a bad idea, but following others because everyone else is doing it is a bad idea. Have a good reason for your actions and make sure they're needed ones and not just doing without thinking.

It's not a bad idea to go around in circles if the cirles happens to be a walkway or an exercising walkway, but to go around in cricles and wandering hither and yon just to be up and doing is folly. If one will be truthful with one's self, there's plenty of walking around the house when needed chores are being done. Therefore it's probably not necessary to be going where others go simply because it's something to do that might be interesting.

Have a purpose to your actions and see that not only are you exercising your muscles by going whereever you need to go, but you are accomplishing something other than walking and yes talking, needlessly.

You don't have to be perfect to enjoy life

Competitive sports are good but what about the fun and excitement of sports without having to win every game? The idea is to be as creative as you need be to become the person that is you. While it's true many professions and careers have to be near perfect, or at least knowledgeable,to keep in business, the extra-curricular activities that you engage in on your off time can be enjoyable even when you aren't particularly adept. Keeping busy has its own rewards.

In fact, the title You don't have to be perfect to enjoy life, is actually a little silly. Doesn't every one know that? They should, but believe it or not competition is a way of live with a great many people.
The fact is, no matter how good you are at something, there's probably plenty of people much more adept and could beat you at it. That's okay, you're probably good at something they know nothing about.

That's beside the point. The only person you really should be competing with is yourself. Strive to do a little better tomorrow than you did today. An illustration of that is the image on this page. I did it for no other reason than to try and use computerized art software to entertain myself. It had no other purpose than to occupy me for a half an hour or so.

As you can see, I was playing with straight lines on a black background. When I was thus occupied, I had nothing in mind, but today as the viewer, I'm quite impressed. I see a bullfrog playing a fiddle and a person, a stick figure dancing. That's probably not far from the truth about what was happening when that piece of art (?) was created. (Or should I have said, scribbled?)

Dealing with the Unknown

Dealing with the unknown is a little hard to take, but since it's a way of life, most of us have learned how to manage to get through the day without worrying too much about it. And that's the way it should be. What would we do if we knew what was in store for us each day? Live the moment to the best of our ability and rest assured if we do the best we can do, everything will turn out as it should. Or, at least it will turn out as it turns out and there'e nothing worrying about it ahead of time would've helped.

It's the unknown that brings surprises and delights and keeps life interesting. Where mental health is concerned, it's far healthier to accept what is and not to worry and fret over what will be. Rest assured the Creator of us all, has our future in His hands and that should make us quite content. And most of the little irritations and annoyances that we have to deal with, soon pass away.