Pembina Valley Mental Health Week brought Certified Life Coach Anita Froese into the Morning Show studios to talk about how the mentorship relationship can improve someone's mental health.
Froese, whose blog is the Fortified Wife, works to strengthen women in body, mind, & soul, According to her social media she about marriage & mindset, family & faith.
Froese said many people get "stuck." and have fear of the unknown. She encouraged conversations and questions because curiosity creates compassion and a safe place for people to talk. Her role is to listen and to help people realize the truth about their fears, as it is usually false evidence that appears real and she stated 90% of what we worry about isn't true.
She said when homes and calendars are cluttered there is no space for something new.
Froese laid out four steps to declutter our lives to move towards better mental health,
"Number one is 'clearing space, can clear your mind.' So, physically removing items in your space can help remove mental blockages. Cluttered spaces reduce your ability to focus. That can impact your memory. So really, just go into a room and take three to five items and donate them to thrift stores, to Teen Challenge, whoever it may be."
She continued with the next two steps to mental well-being.
"Number two, 'find the items you love with ease.' Having access to the items that will bring you joy and be a positive impact in your mental health. Have them that you can find them with ease, so that it brings you joy. And number three is 'prioritize what truly matters to you.' Decluttering helps you see what's important in your life and what's not. When you clear the physical clutter that you don't need, you can reprioritize the objects, people, and situations that enrich your life."
Step number four reaps the benefits of the first three steps.
"Your home will feel like a sanctuary. We sure need that these days, don't we? When every item in your home has a purpose and a place. Your living space will feel less like a storage place and more like a sanctuary. Your home will transform into a place where you can rest and recharge in order to seek refuge from chaos."
Froese stressed the importance of not traveling the road to mental health alone.
"Don't be afraid to reach out to somebody that you trust, that you believe you can have that relationship with. Have conversations. We really need to master the art of listening, really in any aspect of our life, wherever we are. That creates connection. That creates that safe place."
Froese believes those who have walked the road already can be someone's biggest asset. She opened up about how her own stuggles lead her to where she is today.
"We went through some trauma in our life, in our marriage, and what helped me was the people that were there that would come alongside. My woman counselor, at that point, became a mentor. She became my friend. She was non-judgmental. It was a safe place. She could inspire me and help me to grow to be the person I am today, so that I could take wisdom into our marriage, and how that could heal our relationship. To me, that just inspires me, because we have so many people out there that have walked through things and so why not take those nuggets and share them? "
In the video below, Froese shared more about mental health in marriage.