My grandmother affectionately known as "Bigmama" would always say, "People don't have to be nice." This statement usually came as a result of someone enacting an act of kindness. Such a reflection may have been a result of both gratitude and rarity. Grateful someone showed kindness, and the perception that it is indeed rare for people to be kind. In times like these, is being a nice a rarity? Is being cruel, uncaring, and unkind fashionable? Let us examine ourselves and ponder which culture to which we are contributing; cruelty or kindness. Please let it be the latter. It helps when people are nice. www.talkingwithdrtoy.com

Are you ready? Yes, it's about that time. The holiday season is fast approaching and although some may experience anticipation and excitement, others are dreading it for various reasons. Some are financially struggling this season and may not be able to do all they've done in the past which may induce some shame and even embarrassment. For others, this may be the first holiday season without that loved one whom they miss so much. Holidays are reminders and provide time for reflection which can evoke some difficult emotions. What's in your holiday mental health toolkit? www.talkingwithdrtoy.com

When I speak to individuals about self-care, it is often equated with selfishness which has a negative connotation. When I speak of community care, showing up for others and allowing others to show up for you, there is often resistance im asking for help or leaning into the support. Why? We've been conditioned by a number of societal and cultural factors that challenge the notions of self-care and community care. If you struggle with implementing these two concepts in your life, what are your challenges? Are you ready to resolve them? In times like these, self-care and community care are lifelines. www.talkingwithdrtoy.com

It is important to contextualize your life experiences. At times, our inner critic can beat us down with harsh judgments and words especially when we don't think we're operating at our best. The inner critic will remind us of how we used to perform and that presently, we're just missing the mark which can induce shame and self-loathing. However, the inner critic seldom takes into account our current context, where are we now and what's happening in our lives? Evaluating ourselves apart from context, renders an distorted assessment. Remember, context matters! www.talkingwithdrtoy.com

In times like these, it is even more important to implement strategies to take care of your holistic self. However, in order to do so in times when you're stressed and overwhelmed it is helpful to implement a brief framework to assess how you're really functioning. I suggest consistently asking yourself 3 important questions: Is this helpful for me, Is this healthy for me, and is this worth my energy? These questions may help you navigate ways to stay connected and nurture your well-being when you're stressed and overwhelmed. www.talkingwithdrtoy.com

The final segment of the National Wellness Awareness Series includes awareness, attuning, and attending to our societal well-being. Societal well-being has been defined as, "The ability to actively participate in a thriving community, culture, and environment. It involves factors like the quality of relationships, community belonging, access to resources, and the overall sustainability of social systems, with policy and individual actions shaping its development and measurement." Societal well-being matters! www.talkingwithdrtoy.com

When thinking about our wellness, an area that is often neglected is our workplace well-being. We often just view our workplace as a mere job that represents a means to an end. However, we often spend more time with our co-workers and in our workplace than our families and in our home. As a result, it is important to assess your workplace well-being. Workplace well-being has been defined as, "the ability to pursue your interests, values, and life purpose in order to gain meaning, happiness, and enrichment professionally." www.talkingwithdrtoy.com

August is National Awareness month which includes various types of well-being. Social well-being includes developing and maintaining meaningful relationships and social support. Due to past traumatic experiences, unhealthy and toxic relationships, and disappointments, cultivating this type of well-being can be most difficult. Although complex and difficult, it is a necessary aspect of tending to our wellness. Tune into Part 2 of taking care of our social-wellbeing. www.talkingwithdrtoy.com.