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Charles McQueen
Turn Awareness into Action: Making Mental Health Welcoming
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We Know It Is a Problem
Stress and burnout are no longer niche issues. They are widespread. People are stretched thin at work, at home, in relationships, and online. Teachers, nurses, service workers, students, and parents, everyone is feeling the strain. And while mental health conversations have become more common, support has not kept pace.
It is possible to recognize the signs. Many of us know them:
Withdrawal from social or work interactions
Increased irritability, detachment, or emotional flatness
Constant fatigue, even after rest
Loss of interest in things that once felt meaningful
Difficulty concentrating or completing basic tasks
Showing up physically while mentally checked out
Repeatedly saying “I’m fine” when clearly struggling
We can name these symptoms. We have learned to spot them in others and sometimes in ourselves. But if there is no follow-through, no space to rest, no access to support, no change in expectations, then that awareness stays performative. It does not ease suffering. It does not prevent harm. And it certainly does not help the people who need it most.
Action Does Not Require a Grand Gesture
“Action” does not mean changing policy or launching new programs. Most of us do not have that kind of influence. But we do have the ability to make choices, small but meaningful, that support mental well-being, for ourselves and others.
You can say, “I am at capacity,” rather than pushing through. You can ask a colleague if they are truly doing well, and make space if they are not. You can challenge the idea that being constantly busy is something to admire. You can speak honestly about your own experience instead of pretending everything is fine.
These choices may not be dramatic, but they are real. And they matter.
When Awareness Is Not Enough: A Real Moment
He was never late. But over the last month, he stopped speaking up in meetings, and started logging off without saying goodbye. I thought he was just busy. When I finally asked if he was okay, he said, “I’m not. I haven’t been for weeks.” That was the moment I realized awareness has to come with action. Now, I ask sooner.
Sometimes the most meaningful action is simply noticing and doing something about it.
Simple Mental Health Actions Anyone Can Take
You do not need a program. You just need a place to start. Try one of these actions today:
Step outside for ten minutes without your phone.
Cancel one obligation you do not have the capacity for.
Text someone, “I am thinking of you. How are you—really?”
Write down one feeling you have been ignoring.
Create a small “burnout check-in”: What do I need? What do I feel? What can I let go of?
Daily Mental Health Minute (Try This for a Week)
Each day, ask yourself one of these questions:
What is one thing I need to stop pretending I am okay with?
What am I carrying that I do not have to carry alone?
What part of me needs rest, not judgment?
Who could use a check-in from me today?
What is one thing I can say no to, just for today?
You do not need a full plan. You just need a place to start and permission to begin.
Affirmations for Real Life
These are not just feel-good quotes. These are reminders for when things are hard, heavy, or unspoken.
I do not need to be at my limit to deserve rest.
My boundaries are valid, even when others do not understand them.
It is not weakness to ask for help—it is strength.
Protecting my mental health is a responsibility, not a luxury.
Saying “no” is an act of care for me and what I value.
I choose action, even if it is small. Even if it is just today.
Join the Challenge: One Action This Month
This month, choose one action you will take for your mental health—or to support someone else's. Make it small. Make it specific. Make it real.
“This month, I will not apologize for needing rest.”“This month, I will check in on one friend every Friday.”“This month, I will take a real lunch break each day.”
Then share it, journal it, or just commit to it quietly. Let this month change something.
This Month & Beyond
If we want mental health to be more than a temporary theme, we must integrate it into how we live, work, and show up. That means taking it seriously when it is inconvenient, uncomfortable, or unseen. It means acting even when it would be easier not to.
Mental Health Awareness Month should not just remind us of what we already know. It should move us to live differently because of it.
Awareness is only the beginning. Action is where the change begins
