As part of my Movember campaign, I am releasing a new song in the making (see the youtube video). But that is the bait ;) as I am also looking for volunteers who are interested in participating in a Mental Wellness hygiene practice promoting self-respect/self-compassion & overall Mental Well-being. It's simple and fun & in honour of raising awareness for #MOVEMBER and #MENSMENTALHEALTH #SUICIDEPREVENTION. I am recruiting now and want you to join my Movember team! Message me if you are interested in participating in 'H.A.T.S. Off'.

In my video below, you will see an example of my 'H.A.T.S. Off' Mental Wellness practice, where I engage in the S ('Sports' and 'Nature' through Running) and the A ('Arts' and 'Awareness' through songwriting - this song I have yet to release!)

I fell upon what I now coin 'H.A.T.S. Off' in my early days, after losing my husband. With a newborn and a 2 year old, I did little things every day to promote a positive state of mind, and over time those little things added up to a much richer internal world. My mom had just passed away to Cancer and despite so much being taken away from me, I still felt grateful for my kids and my family, my close friends. It was only until I sat down to figure out what I wanted to write about in my blog, that I realized that I had a recipe for what I had inadvertently fallen upon, a sort of self-care Mental Wellness practice.

So I am sharing it now with hopes that you will join me in whatever way you can. You will be benefitting and feeling better AND helping raising awareness for Mental Health!

Here is how it works:
I would just need you to document either by words, pictures, videos which of the following H.A.T.S. you are doing every day to help engage in promoting your positive Mental Well-being. All practices will be posted on my Movember page and social media sites. Pls also feel free to share your H.A.T.S. on your social sites with #HATSOFFMENTALWELLNESS #MOVEMBER with a link to our team page: https://mosista.co/odetowonder.

This Mental Wellness practice is something that I feel passionate about not just for myself, but as a way to model to my children the belief that we have to 'work-out' (metaphorically speaking) our minds, as much as we do our bodies. It is also my way of personally advocating for Mental Health.

H. Is for 'Humanity', that could be engaging in paying forward acts, connecting with strangers, friends, colleagues in a meaningful way, gestures of kindness, supporting causes such as eliminating the stigma surrounding Mental Illness and Suicide.

A. Is for 'Arts' and 'Awareness'. For me making music was my saving grace. Creating in such barren times was difficult, but so incredibly important in helping me reclaim my power. Doing anything creative whether it be writing, drawing, making music, dancing is amazingly up-lifting. 'Awareness' surrounds practicing Meditation and Mindfulness, something that I practice daily.

T. Is for 'Travel' and 'Timelessness'. Travelling to far away lands always fills me up but I realized that travelling doesn't have to entail hopping on a plane. Discovering sites and exploring in my home town energizes me and gives me that same sense of wonder. 'Timelessness' is that act of getting lost in something that you feel so passionate about that all time stops!

S. Is for 'Sports' and 'Nature'. Staying active is so important in helping me maintain a positive outlook. Being active in the outdoors, in nature, is my all- time reset button. Feeling my heart pound synchronizing to the energetic vibrations of the birds chirping, the waves crashing is so grounding.

Join me, James Tebbitt (Guitarist in ROMES) and @DigitalIndieTribe, as we raise awareness for Men's Mental Health and work towards eliminating the stigma surrounding Mental Illness and Suicide.

Without a doubt this is a serious subject and one that needs attention.

Personally, I have worked through a lot of difficult feelings surrounding the ways my family and I have been affected by suicide and Mental Illness, (I am also caregiver to my older brother who has schizophrenia), through music and laughter. The juxtaposition of seriousness against silliness, somehow makes sense for me and my boys - talking about and then releasing hard feelings in our body, through big belly laughs, is by far our best medicine. Laughter is healing. In the attached video, we are having fun with moustaches, symbolically changing the face of Men's Mental Health. A huge heartfelt thanks to James Tebbitt, of the band ROMES, who is such a great sport, and has come on board as part of our team to help raise awareness for such an important cause.

James has kindly offered a ROMES LP and T-shirt to the best INSTAGRAM Moustache Selfie. To enter, you need to follow @odetowonder and @romes and be sure to #Movember #DigitalIndieTribe. The winning Moustache will be chosen on Thursday, November 30, 2017 at 8 PM EST. Entrants much be over the age of 18. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram or Movember Foundation. You understand that you are providing the information to the owner of the Instagram pages mentioned to be 'followed'.