Our Brave Space
Welcome to AFSP's Campus Walk Brave Space. You are brave for walking, for raising funds, and for sharing your stories. This page is a space to share information, give support, and to connect with our community.
Please let us know what you are doing right now by using #HopeWalksHere and tagging us! @afspnational
Stay safe. Stay brave. You're all amazing.
If you or someone you know is in a crisis, please call 988 or text TALK to 741-741.
How Are You?
An important question to ask yourself every day, and to ask your friends and family members. Below are ways you can check-in.
More Resources
This list of resources may not be all of the resources in your area, however, we know a lot of people are struggling and we want to provide information to help you find what you need.
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 988
Veteran's Crisis Line 1-800-273-8255, dial 1 or text 838-255
Crisis Text Line Text 741-741
SAMHSA's Disaster Distress Helpline 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746
Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-787-3244
Trans Lifeline 1-877-565-8860
The Trevor Project 1-866-488-7386
Tips on Managing Your Stress or Anxiety
Limit Your News Consumption
- Set a time every day to consume news
- Choose news sources you trust
- Make your social media feed coronavirus free
- Make time to consume positive news
Take Time for Yourself
- Take breaks during the day to meditate, exercise, read, or just breathe
- Make self-care part of your daily routine
- Cook healthy/comforting meals
- Separate you working time from personal time
Monitor Your Emotions
- Keep a stress/anxiety/depression log
- Name it to tame it
- Naming your emotions can be a helpful way to manage them
- Reflect on why your might be feeling these emotions
Practice Gratitude
- Take time every day to write down three things you are thankful for each day
- Can be a list or full sentences
- Reflect on why you are grateful for these things
Show Yourself Compassion
- Acknowledge your feelings
- Don't shame or guilt yourself for your emotions
- Forgive yourself
- Give yourself permission to feel
Activities for Anxiety and Depression
Sign up for a meditation or stress app
Practice a breathing exercise (below adapted from this meditation)
Breathe in for four
Hold breath for seven
Exhale for eight
Write a list of things that are in your control and out of your control
Focus on the things you can control
Practice accepting or letting go of things you cannot control
Focus on your present, physical world
Five things you can touch
Four things you can smell
Three things you can see
Two things you can taste
One thing you can hear
Meet yourself where you are
Acknowledge where you are
Practice self-compassion
Do one small thing
Make your bed
Change your clothes
Wash one dish
Open a window
Take a shower
Send one text message
Draw your inner critic (Adapted from this book)
What do they look like? What do they wear?
Accept that your inner critic is not you
Get good sleep
Listen to a playlist that makes you feel positive emotions (comfort, content, happiness, etc.)
Catch negative thoughts
Write down negative thoughts
Reflect on why these negative thoughts are not reality
Stay focused on the present
What can you control right now?
What can you change right now?
Practice Gratitude
Write one thing you’re thankful for and put it in a jar, take them out and read them when you need some happiness
Write a list of three things you’re thankful for in your journal each night
Write a gratitude letter and send it to a loved one
Meditate on a happy place
Can be real or imagined
What can you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell?
Create a positive mantra you repeat throughout the day
Listen to a positive podcast
Practice a Random Act of Kindness
Leave a stuffed animal in your window for children in your neighborhood to find
Drop off a baked good to a neighbor’s doorstep
Write a card
Savor Something
Good meal
Short Walk
Conversation with a loved one
Practice forgiveness and self-compassion
Write a kind letter to yourself
Practice forgiving yourself
Watch celebrites read children's books on savewithstories Instagram
Listen to an audiobook
- Free Audiobooks
- Rent from your library using OverDrive or Libby
Exercise
Journal
Draw or paint