I recently had the privilege of attending the Luminary Whole Health Summit in person. The room was filled with leaders, founders, practitioners, caregivers, and attendees like me holding honest conversations about what it truly means to prioritize overall health – physical, mental and financial. The main theme of the event was that when one area is neglected, every area is impacted, because it is all deeply connected. 

When it came to discussing the importance of mental health, there were a couple things that stuck with me. One, is that it is OK to not be OK. In today’s society, an unhealthy habit has developed called “toxic positivity” where a person puts on a smiling face to mask what’s really going on inside. While optimism is helpful, demanding it in every life event – including trauma, grief or hardship can lead to serious issues. Forcing yourself to only remain positive suppresses emotions that need to be processed. 

Another unhealthy practice brought up that we need to shift from is wearing resilience as a badge of honor. You are allowed to feel without turning every hard moment into proof of how much you can endure in silence. Healing is not measured by how much pain you can tolerate. True wellness is creating space for support, boundaries and peace.

The mental health talk ended with a focus on breaking stigmas, increasing access, and encouraging proactive care. Finding support can be done in a variety of ways, through hired professional help, supportive friendships, and quality relationships that allow co-regulation based on your specific emotional needs, all of which offer a safe space.