8 Things We Learned About Mental Health From Nina Kovner

In April, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, we hosted a webinar with Nina Kovner, industry thought-leader and founder of Passion Squared. She brought us a candid discussion around mental health and discussed ways to find a new rhythm, tap into creativity, take an honest inventory of your feelings without judgment, and how to move forward with hope. 

Check out these 8 important things we learned about mental health from Nina: 

1. Your feelings are valid.

Even if you are feeling sad, confused, angry, snarky and silly all at once, your feelings matter and should not be marginalized. It’s so important to feel all the feels, even if it’s uncomfortable. Allow yourself to feel…truly, madly, deeply. 

2. Balance is a myth. Find your new rhythm.

Some days are going to be super awesome and other days are going to just suck. It’s okay if some days you work six hours and others you work 12. It’s okay if some days you work out for two hours and others you don’t at all. It’s okay if some days you eat organic, healthy meals and other days you eat frozen pizza and ice cream. We have to manage the expectations we have on ourselves. It’s okay to not have or stick to your goals during the pandemic! Be gentle with yourself, and do things your way.

3. Create a schedule and space that works for you.

This might include creating a dedicated creative space in your home or salon to work in. Even when you're not on your regular routine, it's still beneficial to create a schedule where you shower, get dressed, eat meals and take breaks (and nap if you need one!). It's important to remember that sometimes looking good makes you feel good, too. No matter what you do, the important thing is that you create space for yourself to feel good.

4. Your clients, community, family and friends still need you.

It’s important, especially for those whose salons are still not open, that you never let yourself feel “non-essential.” Just because you may not be living your "normal" life or working in your business the "normal" way you used to, you are still solving problems for people and providing so much value to enrich lives.

5. Be compassionate with others and yourself. We are all experiences the stages of grief.

According to Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, renowned psychologist and international best-selling author of the book On Death and Dying, the 5 stages of grief are 1. Denial and isolation; 2. Anger; 3. Bargaining; 4. Depression; 5. Acceptance. Even if you have been one of the lucky ones who has not lost a loved one to COVID-19, grief doesn't only occur when someone dies. We can experience all 5 stages of grief from any major loss. Right now, we are all collectively grieving the loss of certainty, the loss of life as we knew it, the loss of our plans and for some, the perceived loss of purpose. Grief is a powerful emotion that comes wrapped up with a whole mess of other feelings. It’s hard! And it’s okay if it’s really hard sometimes. Be understanding and kind to yourself and others if emotions, stress, fear and axiety seem to be running higher

6. Practice self-care rituals.

Do things that feel good to you! Whether it’s a 15-minute yoga-video, making juice from healthy ingredients, scheduling a Zoom call with your besties, taking a bath with Epsom salts, listening to music or reading a good book, try leaning into all the ways you can make yourself feel a little better. Nina shares ideas such as creating a gratitude list, meditating, exercising, cooking, being of service to others, connecting with others and here’s the kicker: taking breaks from social media and the news. Whatever you choose to do for you, find your self-care rituals!

7. Let go of what you cannot control.

“I only have control over my own thoughts, feelings, actions, and reactions.” It’s so important to realize that a global pandemic is completely out of all of our control. Period. What we can control is the way we react to, experience and grow from this challenging time. "Don’t let things you cannot control control you.”

8. “If only I had time…” 

Nina also shares that we likley have time to do the things we’ve always wanted to do. Whether it's working out more, reading more, spending more time crafting or doing your favorite hobby, you have an opportunity to spend more time doing the things that fill your cup. What would you do if you only had time?

Speaking of time, if you have an extra hour and six minutes, we highly recommend you watch Nina’s webinar. You’ll realize that if you’re struggling, even a little bit, that you certainly aren’t alone. 

Click here to watch a full recording of Nina's webinar

Need additional mental health support? Click here to listen to Your Mental Health Matters with Dr. Allan Ribbler.