This Mental Health Awareness month, we encourage you start more conversations about mental wellness, share helpful resources on mental health care, and eliminate any stigmas or misinformation about mental health. Over 2,300 organizations are participating in Mental Health Action Day (MHAD) 2024, a global movement led by SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios and TaskForce. 

MHAD encourages members of the community to dedicate one hour to social connection! At My Good Brain, we want to empower children with creative activities, resources and tips that they can use to shape a solid hour of intention and reflection.

The importance of connection

To be connected is to feel stable with two feet on the ground, fully aware of your environment and the people in it. When we’re connected to something bigger than us, we gain strength and clarity from it. It helps us understand the emotions and actions that contribute to our environment—and because of that, it helps us take better care of the relationships we cultivate in this environment. 

To be connected is to be more in control of how we cope with challenges, create joy, and share positivity with the people we love. 

It’s important to strengthen connections with ourselves and those around us. Being connected with yourself allows you to feel present with your emotions and how you react to them. It allows us to slow things down, process difficult feelings properly, and find the right coping mechanisms to navigate them.

Social connection applies the same values of being present and intentional, but this time with the aim of feeling closer to other people. These connections allow us to build community and support systems that respect and protect those struggling with their mental health. 

A 2023 study by Gallup and Meta called The Global State of Social Connections discovered that one in four young people in the world deal with feelings of loneliness, with 25% of respondents falling between the ages of 15 to 18. By emphasizing the importance of self and social connection in young children, we hope to establish and normalize simple mental health habits that children can practice to: 

• Build healthy coping mechanisms for difficult emotions

• Grow strong relationships that they can depend on when facing difficult emotions

The power of an hour

One hour may not sound like a lot, but it can actually work wonders if you approach it correctly. Think about it: If you’ve had an exhausting week dealing with nonstop activities, difficult conversations, or even uncomfortable environments, wouldn’t you love to spend even just a single hour on something that makes you happy? 

If you’re tired, this could be an hour of sleep. If you’re feeling drained from too much time looking at your screen, perhaps it’s an hour playing outside. Or it could be the complete opposite — if you’ve spent all your energy doing activities outside, an hour of watching your favorite TV show with your favorite people might be exactly what you need. 

Dedicating an hour to connection aims to show children that they can and should prioritize things that make them feel good about themselves. When done right, an hour of pure connection can help children reduce stress, grow their self-confidence, become energized and productive, and, most importantly, feel less alone. 

5 art activities to fill up your hour  🎨

At My Good Brain, our mission is to show children the many ways they can incorporate art into their daily routines. Let’s explore a few activities you can do with your loved ones during your one hour of connection!

Kick off a scrapbook project

Tie-dye art

Homemade bookmarks 

Lucky charms

Nature setting

How can you reduce distractions during that one hour? 

One hour passes by fast. If you’re constantly distracted, it’ll be over before you know it — and you would have gained very little from that time. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your hour:  

1. Set intentions: Decide what you want to achieve from your one-hour session. Are you looking to feel a certain way at the end of the session? Is there a specific activity you want to complete to feel satisfied with yourself? By setting your intentions before you begin that one hour, you’ll know exactly what to focus on.
   

2. Find the right space: It’s easier to find peace and focus if you’re in a space that’s conducive for you to do what you need to do. For example, if you’re going to be scrapbooking or painting with your family or friends, you might want to look for a space big enough for your group to lay out materials and work on art together. If you’re cramped in a messy space, you’re more likely to stress out, lose track of things, and even give up halfway. You can also find ways to set the mood with music, scents, and decorative items.
   

3. Limit unnecessary screen time: If you want to dedicate one hour to doing an activity that doesn’t involve a computer or phone, then you’ll want to make it a point to avoid these screens altogether. You can place your devices in a different location so you’re less likely to pick them up. We do understand that some activities — like watching relaxing videos or video calling loved ones — require digital devices. However, we advise you to use them only if they help you build the connection you’re looking for. No aimless scrolling and no consumption of unhelpful content!

After dedicating an hour, what happens next? 

Dedicating one hour to connection is just the beginning, of course! It’s a stepping stone to help children understand how feasible it is to set aside time for their mental health and wellness. 

After your hour-long activity, reflect on how it made you feel. 

Do you feel different at the end of the hour versus the beginning? What went well? What could have gone better? What did you enjoy the most? What didn’t you enjoy?

Taking the time to reflect on this experience will help you learn how to better take care of yourself and those around you. Determine how you can incorporate this one hour more regularly into your schedule. If one hour every day is too much, that’s totally fine! You could start with once a week, once every two weeks, or once a month. 

Remember: Mental Health Action Day is all about taking a step forward in your mental health journey. After taking this one hour for yourself, give yourself a big congratulations for doing exactly that!