I am about to tell you something you probably already know: Exercise is good for your mental health. Whether you have been an avid exerciser for years, currently exercise, or have exercised in the past, your body rewarded you with the hormones that improve your sense of well-being and mood.

Being mindful gives you more control over your behavior, reduces your emotional suffering, increases your sense of well-being, helps you make important decisions, makes you more effective and productive, and increases your compassion for self and others. 

I think about my impact on others. I also remember the people who have had an impact on my life by allowing me to make mistakes and grow with dignity. The professor who let me assert myself as a 20-year-old, colleagues who have tolerated my growing pains, parents who let thoughtless words pass. With the benefit of time and experience, their kindness is revealed to me, and I feel their grace in my life.

To overcome stigma, we need to be comfortable talking about mental health. It can start with simply asking, “How are you, really?” and then listening with an open, accepting attitude.

Healthy vulnerability means you don’t have to be perfect, 100% confident, and composed all the time. We’re human, we have emotions, we have demands outside of work. It’s OK to have doubts and make mistakes. It’s OK to not have an immediate solution to every dilemma.