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Frustrated, disappointed, tired, flat, clouded, anxious, blah…

If any of these words describe how you have felt throughout the past 18 months, you are not alone. Despite the fact that looking after our mental health should always be a priority in our lives, there is nothing like a global pandemic to highlight the importance of doing so.

Experiencing this state of ‘collective trauma’ can lead to many stress-inducing questions such as “Do I go home or do I stay?”, “What will I do if I lose my job?”, “When will I be able to see my friends and family in person again?”

You may have heard it said that ‘the only constant in life, is change’. For many students at this time, it is as though ‘the only certainty, is uncertainty’. This can leave us feeling out of control and threaten core aspects of our wellbeing such as safety and autonomy. Another core aspect that we have had to re-calibrate is community and connectedness with others.

A simple internet search will quickly highlight so many practical ways we can be looking after our mental health including:

• Stay connected with others through any way you can
• Exercise or simply get active for at least 30 minutes each day
• Limit your media consumption
• Do things you find a sense of enjoyment in
• Develop a routine and structure for your day
• Take regular breaks to help with engagement in study

But the central aspect of our wellbeing that is less advertised is spirituality, which gives us access to supernatural resources. This year’s message for ‘World Mental Health Day’ is “Look up…”. How amazing to think that as a College community we have been focusing this semester on ‘looking up’ from a spiritual perspective.

What a reminder to embrace Paul’s encouragement in 2 Corinthians 4:18 to “fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone”. So with the emphasis of looking after your mental health this week, remember He is the one true constant in which we can have certainty in to provide all our needs according to His riches in glory by Jesus Christ. Amen.

Jacob Laidler
Student Development Manager
Hillsong College