We have been holding Mental Health Week across our centres this week, with a focus on getting our needs met.
We all have needs. But recognising what those needs are and getting them met is something many people struggle with. Asking for what we need can sometimes feel like an impossible task, while for others it is an option they didn’t know they had. Needs as seemingly obvious as needing the toilet can be hard to meet at times, meaning that the bigger or more abstract needs often get overlooked. That is why ‘What do you need?’ has been our big question for this week’s Mental Health Week.
We have to be aware of our needs in order to meet them, but this can be harder than it sounds. Try these three steps to identifying your needs:
Recognise core needs:
Humans have innate emotional needs like security, autonomy, connection, meaning, purpose, and achievement. Which ones are most important to you at the moment?
Check in with yourself:
Regularly ask what you’re feeling and what you truly need to feel balanced and whole. What emotions are you experiencing?
Differentiate needs from preferences:
Understand the difference between a fundamental emotional need and a desire or preference. Try asking what will happen if you don’t achieve it – will you just feel disappointed or will this cause overwhelming anxiety?
Knowing what you need is the first step in asking for what you need and making it happen. We have been working with students this week to look at how they can self advocate for their needs and build this greater awareness through a range of activities.
