How to Take An Effective Mental Health Day

Stand In A River.

Or climb a mountain, watch the ocean waves, catch a sunrise from the park like you’ve been meaning to do and then go out to breakfast. The only catch? YOU GO AS A COUPLE!

What?! A Mental Health Day with my SPOUSE?!?!

Yes. If you have small children, arranging childcare could turn into such a delicate construction of hopes and fears that you might be tempted to stay home and wash the floors. This is a false feeling and will fade. We all know that studies show experiencing nature is good for your mental health, but here are some helpful Science Links anyway. INSERT SCIENCE LINKS We also know from INSERT SCRIPTURE that marriage is a one-flesh deal. Why not consider escaping WITH your spouse instead of FROM your spouse?!

You don’t have to book a weekend. You don’t have to shell out money for live music. (though by all means, if you can afford it and want to, do it!) You just have to carve a few hours out of your day, stick your feet in a river, and breathe. Hold hands. Listen to the world around you. Get the app that tells you what kind of birds you’re hearing! Speak words of thankfulness. Odds are, you’re going to enjoy yourself.

This is not a date, it’s an interlude. A moment. A respite. Don’t feel any pressure to solve problems, stop by the store on the way home, resurrect old fights, or feel guilty that you are not doing any of the above. This is a sanctioned, holy, peaceful moment for you both to enjoy!

Let me know how it goes. Shortly after this picture was taken I realized that we’d picked the ONE SPOT where trash had collected along the bank. Sigh. There but for the grace, you know what I mean?!