While May is mental health awareness month, it’s important to value your mental health year-round. Whether you’re looking to treat yourself to try something new or return to your favorite activity, Long Beach is a great place to give yourself a well-deserved mental break. Here are some ways to take care you!
Take a stroll on one of Long Beach’s many trails
Take a break from doing work or staring at your phone screen to enjoy nature and the pleasant weather. Living close to the beach, we are lucky to have access to the four-mile-long beach pedestrian path that connects to other walkways like along the Los Angeles River and San Gabriel River. If the surf and sand is not your jam, perhaps you prefer to be surrounded by greenery. El Dorado Nature Center‘s hiking trail offers the feel of a great escape without having to venture too far. Along the dirt trail and bridges you’ll come across rivers, wild plants and wildlife. A walk may seem like a simple solution, but according to the National Institute of Mental Health, just 30 minutes of physical activity is enough to improve your mood. So don’t underestimate the power of a nice stroll, wherever you choose to roam!
Yoga on the Bluff
Yoga is another suitable option for physical activity as it can relax your body and mind. If you’ve ever driven by Bluff Park, you may have seen people engaging in a group yoga session. Those yoga sessions are held every day, every week by Yogalution, and are completely free. There are daily 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. sessions and seasonal 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
sessions from April to October. If you’re a first-timer, there’s no need to be concerned. Yogalution provides details about what to bring and where to park on their website. If those times don’t work, you can explore other donation-based classes on their website. They also offer other services such as reiki, massages and acupuncture.
Spa Day
A spa day is a perfect way to let go of anything stressing you out and reset your mind. A Silent Moment Spa is a popular choice among Long Beach residents. They offer a variety of services such as body wraps, body scrubs,
facials, massages, meditation, weight management services and spa packages. A Silent Moment Spa truly is a one-stop shop for all services. They even have products for purchase to bring the spa experience home. Resplendent Day Spa is another great option for unique spa treatments. There are Med Spa services which include facial contouring
and antiaging, body contouring, vaginal health, SUI and acoustic wave therapy. Then, there are day spa services, massage therapy, facials and hair wax removal. However, you don’t have to go out to have a spa day. You can have a spa day at home. A warm bath, bath bomb, sheet mask and calm music can go a long way.
Visit Human Aeon
Similarly to a spa day, you can visit Human Aeon, a wellness sanctuary located on Belmont Shore that focuses on breathwork, meditation, movement, contrast therapy, and mindset psychology through personalized coaching and guided sessions. Because the Human Aeon is a private space, it is only accessible by appointment and you will
only receive the address after booking an appointment. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, breathwork and meditation are especially beneficial for mental health. With the Human Aeon placing great importance on those two factors a visit is worth the cost. If money is an issue, they do offer discounts and scholarships.
Coffee or Tea
Sometimes all you really need is a good warm cup of coffee or tea. There are plenty of coffee shops in Long Beach to choose from each offering a unique twist. Tierra Mia Coffee is a perfect blend of coffee and Hispanic culture with many of their drinks being a twist on classics. Some of their most popular drinks include the Iced Horchata Latte, Iced Coco Loco Latte, Mazapan Peanut Frappe and Dulce de Leche Latte. Their slogan “El mejor café viene de tierra mia” or “The best coffee comes from my land” rings true, so give it a try yourself. Wood Coffee Co is another great coffee shop to support as they are a queer-owned local business. Their food and drinks are plant-based and their goal is to create a safe community space for the LGBTQ+ community. If you’re looking for an especially unique
atmosphere, head over to Birdcage Coffee House. Like Tierra Mia and Wood Coffee Co, Birdcage Coffee House offers a variety of food and drinks. However, unlike the other two, you can enjoy your drink while listening to the chitter-chatter of parrots on the coffee shop’s patio.
Pair it with a good read
While visiting your local coffee shop, consider taking a book with you. Reading can be a good mental break from the screen and reality. If you’re looking for a new romance book that avoids the typical cliches, try “Good Material” by Dolly Alderton. The story follows a 35-year-old man struggling to make sense of relationships after a breakup. Or if you’re a pop culture junkie, pick up “The Woman in Me”, Britney Spears’ highly anticipated memoir. Perhaps
you’re interested in the lives of childhood stars, in that case, read “I’m Glad My Mom Died”, the heartbreaking and witty memoir by “ICarly” star Jeanette McCurdy. If you’re looking for a heartwarming story, try “Remarkably Bright Creatures" by Shelby Van Pelt. The story follows a woman named Tova who begins an unlikely friendship with an octopus at the aquarium where she works. Regardless of which book you choose, stepping into a different world is a great way to turn your brain off for a bit and unwind.
Journaling
If you’re new to journaling, consider starting by recounting your daily activities at the end of the day. Taking the time to sit and process all the things you did today and all the things you felt will help you manage your negative emotions and even help you let them go. When you journal remind yourself of your accomplishments, give yourself credit and positive affirmations. Remind yourself what you are grateful for and write it down to remind yourself. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, writing down positive affirmations and things you are grateful for is an easy way to practice self-care and improve your mood.
Appreciate the Arts
Meet up with some friends and explore one of the art museums in Long Beach. Located right by the beach, the Long Beach Museum of Art is open Thursday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.. General admission is $12, students and seniors are $10 and children under 12 get in for free. The Museum of Latin American Art is another popular choice. MOLAA is open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is $15 for general admission, $10 for students and seniors, free for children under 12 and free for everyone on Sundays. If you would like to explore art done by local artists then visit Loiter Galleries. Loiter Galleries provides an affordable gallery space to local artists so they can promote their artwork. The gallery is open Thursday to Sunday by appointment and is free to visit at all times.
Celebrate your own creativity
Perhaps you are more of an artist yourself. Any time spent doing a hobby or an activity for fun is beneficial to your mental health. A popular art activity is Color Me Mine, a shop where you can pick a ceramic item and size of your choice, paint it, and then return later, after it’s been fired, to pick it up. This is another activity that can be enjoyed with friends and will give you something to look forward to when it’s time to get your final creation seven to ten days later. If you’re looking for more variety in artistic activities, visit Craft and Light Creative Arts Studio. There are several workshops to choose from for both adults and kids including an intro to wood-burning, resin jewelry making, intro to candle making, intro to papermaking, resin coaster making and pet watercolor painting workshops. You can also host private parties and shop at their craft store to bring the art workshop
Experience a new Sound
If hands-on crafts are not your style, you can go the music route. Just jamming to your favorite songs can improve your mood, but so can taking the time to explore new genres. The Arts Council for Long Beach has put together a calendar of musical events taking place in the city, so if you’re ever looking for a show you can check out their website to see where and what kind of music will be played at different shows. Long Beach will also be having its Summer Concert Series in which free concerts will be happening at different public spaces all across
Long Beach. Each featured artist will bring their sound to the series ensuring each concert is just as exciting as the last. Full details can be found on the Visit Long Beach website.
Set some goals for yourself
As simple as it sounds, setting goals can be quite difficult. It’s easy to say, “I will go to the gym more” but what exactly does “more” mean? This is where setting goals can get tricky. Having goals and achieving them is healthy and beneficial to your mental health. The satisfaction and fulfillment you feel when completing a goal is unbeatable, but at the same time if you are unable to achieve your goals you may end up feeling worse. It’s a double-edged
sword. When setting goals it’s okay to have a big picture like “I will go to the gym more”, but then break it down by months or weeks. It could start with going to the gym once a week for the first month, then twice for the second and so on until you go every day of the week. Setting smaller goals that fulfill your larger goal is a slow, healthy way to build a habit that will achieve your goal of going to the gym more. When setting any goal be sure to set up small checkpoints that will keep you motivated along the way. Those small checkpoints will also fill you with a sense of accomplishment and before you know it you’ll have achieved your goals.
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