I was trying to think of things I could write about for my second blog post and kept coming back to the same thing. Check in on people and see how they're doing. It may seem like a simple act but sending a text that says "Hey, how you been?" or "We haven't caught up in awhile, you doing ok?" or even giving someone a call can mean a lot more to the person you're reaching out to than you realize.
Oftentimes it is easy to get lost in the burn and churn of a week. There's work, hobbies, chores, spending time with significant others, and a million other things going on. That being said, it's all too easy to have the days fade into weeks and weeks fade into months without taking a few moments to check in with someone you really care about and see how they're doing. I find myself guilty of this at times and every time I remember to finally reach out, I'm glad I did.
There's a lot going on in this world and it's easy to forget everyone is going through something whether it seems big or small to you, it matters nonetheless. While you may not be a licensed professional when it comes to helping folks deal with all their problems, I typically feel a little relieved when someone close to me is kind enough to let me get something off my chest. And hey, sometimes there may not be anything at all to talk about and that's ok, but at the very least you just let that person know that you were thinking about them and showed you care.
Just the other day I was lucky enough to catch up with a friend I hadn't talked to in a month or so. We spoke on the phone for about 20 minutes and talked about what was new in life, how work was going, and most importantly if we were doing ok. While everything may not have been considered perfect, it was nice to just catch up and tell someone about some of the things that had been on my mind. Some of it was good, some bad, but when I hung up the phone I felt ten times better than before answering his call.
I'll wrap this post up with some of the general thoughts of what inspired me to write this post to begin with. May was Mental Health Awareness Month and June even has a week dedicated to Men's Mental Health. Think about your mental health and the mental health of people you care about. Now maybe more than ever, it's important to make sure the people around you know you care about them, you can be there to support them, and that they have people that are actively thinking about them. If you've taken the time to read this whole post, thank you and don't forget to check in on people.