Today is May 1. The first day of Mental Health Month. This entire month we want to nudge all of you to celebrate triumphs, acknowledge struggles, and just come together. Let other people know they’re not alone. Feel less alone yourself. It’s what Post it Forward is all about.
One of the incredible ways you—all of you—have helped shape Tumblr is with your ability to be open and honest. It was you that turned this platform into a community, one based on genuine expression, creativity, and acceptance.
Neat. How can I participate?
Glad you asked! Each week, for all four weeks, we’ll be giving you ideas for ways to Post it Forward.
Week 1—Post it for you: How you practice self-care and personal well-being.
Week 2—Post it for each other: Ways you can be there for each other.
Week 3—Post it for reflection: Sharing stories of personal growth and development.
Week 4—Post it for the future: Committing to continuous reflection and improvement.
This week is all about posting for you. Acts of self-care. Here are some places to start:
Post an emoji spell for self-care and positivity. 🌈 🔮 💕 🌱
Share a photo or GIF of something that calms you down. Don’t have one? Here’s one.
What’s the one thing that always cheers you up? Post a photo of it, take a GIF, or illustrate it. Toss a sticker on it, if you’d like.
Never forget that you are valid! Post a selfie with “valid” sticker (see below).
Make a list of things you like about yourself.
Make a checklist of 5 acts of self-care you promise to do for yourself this week.
Make an audio post with a song that helps you zone out and re-energize.
Don’t forget to tag all your posts with #postitforward this month! It makes it easier for everyone to find each other’s contributions.
What else?
We’ve asked our pal Tumblrbot (@tumblrbot) to help out with any extra encouragement you might need. Try sending them messages like “tell me about Mental Health Month” or “what’s this week’s prompt?” Tumblrbot will let you know what’s up, because Tumblrbot is a friend to all of us.
We got Answer Times, all of them taking place right here on Post it Forward unless indicated otherwise:
5/4—Utkarsh Ambudkar, NAMI (@namiorg) ambassador, Pitch Perfect actor, and member of hip-hop improv group, Freestyle Love Supreme.
5/8—AJ Mendez Brooks, NAMI (@namiorg) ambassador, former pro wrestler, and author of Crazy Is My Superpower, a memoir about her experiences with bipolar disorder.
I hope you meet the right people in 2016, those who will appreciate you and won’t take you for granted. But if you happen to come across people who just want to use you, I hope you know when to walk away.
You no longer make my stomach stir
The way you once did.
No, the thought of you now is just a blur,
A memory, a lesson, or perhaps a habit
I’m trying to break, in hopes that I won’t relapse.
