This past Thursday, Kirk shared with us his most recent presentation entitled: 100 Ways to Slightly Improve your Life

Kirk began by sharing with us that this past May has been most challenging for him this year.  I for one was looking forward to Kirk’s topic tonight, as it never hurts to hear reminders on how we can improve our own self-care.

He began by sharing that we should try and do at least one percent more every day . By this he meant, if you have a habit you are good at, such as doing volunteer work or helping others, that you should try and do one percent more every day. And if you have a bad habit, such as smoking, maybe you can try and decrease your smoking by one percent each day.

He also shared a little bit about social media. Kirk mentioned that there can be both positive and negative social media.

He suggested that maybe on our phones, we can place the notification button to the off position, even if it’s only for a short time. Or maybe when you wake up in the morning, instead of hitting the snooze button, just shut the alarm off. 

He also challenged us to write down at least one thing every day that you want to accomplish, and cross that item off of your list when completed. 

He also asked us to learn to express more gratitude for the things we have in our life. We all can be grateful for our home and the roof over our heads, and grateful for our country, the food we have to eat, and the family and friends in our life.

We should also learn to value our uniqueness. So, what’s your why and/or your purpose? What get’s you out of bed each day? Learn to try something new, and get yourself out there, and maybe even make some new friends. 

Maybe try and do some volunteer work. Or try and do something kind for a stranger, for someone who you will probably never see again. Rather than texting or calling someone, make an effort to have as many face-to-face conversations as you can. You can also try daily affirmations, meditation or maybe even yoga? Try to learn to be open and honest with your care team and the support group that you attend. It’ very important to come to support groups and to be with like minded people. 

Try and learn more and get more educated on your own mental health. It’s important to be open and honest with your care team. Be honest with your therapist and your support group, and reach out for support if you need it. 

Kirk closed with a quote from Maya Angelou ” I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”