Mental Health and Wellness

E. Nevenglosky

Those of us who work in the realm of servant-leadership often have to pull from our reserves of grace, patience, and compassion on a daily basis.  We know that just because we extend these things does not mean we will receive the same in return.  But yet, each day, we still choose to fight the good fight because we understand what we do matters.  Our ripple extends far beyond what one can generally conceptualize, for better or worse.  But in recognizing this, I cannot ignore the importance of mental health and our perceived value.  What does this look like as we grow in our careers and as we age (hopefully) in wisdom?  

Personally, I can say two things have influenced care over my mental health through this season of challenge.  First is my faith.  As a wise co-worker had shared, even before I get out of bed, I need to give thanks for what I have and for what God will provide.  Then I need to dedicate my day to Him.  It is a great reminder of why I am here and what my motivation needs to be, even if I have to remind myself on the hour.  Mindfulness and purposeful reflection have been key when facing disappointment, loneliness, or isolation when I get into my own head.  It is a beautiful thing to recognize the blessing of His constant presence and the blessing of the people He strategically places in our lives.  

The second more recent influence was seeking a solution for stress-relief and physical health.  I have always been pretty active as a runner, but felt the progress/results had been lagging.   After working with a trainer, I was able to reset my physical health, but there was also a readjustment for my daily/weekly outlook.  I was introduced to the book Monday Mindsets (Greenhaw, 2025).   Generally, I assumed the low feelings on Sunday were typical, even if a little frustrating.  It felt like I was burning time worrying about the week to come instead of enjoying the day off and being in the moment.    After 4 weeks of reading this book, I find that I am more mindful about my attitude, how I face challenges, and my responsibility to making the best and most out of all situations.  The journaling section of the book creates accountability and critical thinking about my response to change and challenges.  I feel like my teachers and students could benefit from reading it too!  We can be so quick to mindlessly scroll- why not focus just a bit more on what could strengthen us?  

Our time is limited.  My encouragement would be to move forward with hope but do not hesitate to do the hard work that will bring satisfaction, purpose, and joy.  It should never be all about us, but how to serve and help others.  When we take care of our health in all ways, we are way more likely to reach our goals.  

If you’d like to check out Monday Mindsets, please check out the following link: https://www.amazon.com/Monday-Mindsets-52-Week-Mindset-Makeover/dp/B0G6C4SFN4/ref=sr_1_2?crid=11RVGHHWXELR3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qwQcHrAYd3164NoQAA-t-UK7bdk7iQF7JtOejjIAck8iINPtn-HBCmr0aOhZiWlIhgjRj80W-s3MBWQ6LI6SG5ZDL5dnZ4v9HEsEAYgpA63_BJHP-x3DVyCdpLZKTbRDkLH9bXLY18UdWwLUJcNcCP2qmzvGksrOjXOz7tT_lY2GxAhd59XzbnxAHk0cGXLkTeVFA49GKBEuIB-l0eWCUvDYBWgjqnVvFde0gSsvnzU.rFILRLJdtOxKnCg-6O1YD0htv5say7p6fBvcxq9QmII&dib_tag=se&keywords=monday+mindsets&qid=1772037332&sprefix=monday+mindsets%2Caps%2C166&sr=8-2