PEAK TO PEAK - Here in the Peak to Peak region, living in the mountains among trees thick on the ground and clouds thick in the air, our physical bodies are invigorated with every hike we take, and our spirits are rejuvenated with every sunrise. But how do we take care of, arguably, the most important “muscle” of all—our minds? 

Measuring physical health is relatively easy; we can feel the results of good physical health in ourselves almost immediately, and can see when someone else is fit and healthy. 

It’s obviously harder to measure spiritual health, but the term itself is one that is openly accepted in society. It doesn’t just allude to an individual’s religion, but defines the force within that drives every individual towards a personal goal.

But neither physical health nor spiritual health are as stigmatized as mental health. 

Mental health is defined by the World Health Organization as “a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.” 

Not only is mental health an important force in driving our internal decision-making engines, but this complex and intimately personal force is shaped and influenced by so many factors, from biological and genetic factors to environmental and lifestyle factors which include our histories of life experiences, good and bad. 

With a seemingly infinite number of variables coming at us every moment, navigating how we mentally react to them becomes yet another challenge for us to master; and, just like with our physical and spiritual fitness, sometimes we need help, especially if there are certain issues holding us back. 

Caring for one’s mental health takes just as much bravery and dedication as does exercise or diet, if not more. There is no shame in managing one’s own conditions; and mental health has grown over the years to mean so much more than that.

Mental health is a journey towards being the best you that you can be.

And when considering how so many factors in our everyday lives can affect mental health, it makes the possibilities of how to positively impact that health truly endless, especially when privileged as we are to be up here in the mountains. 

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