This week (18th-24th May) is Mental Health Awareness Week and the theme for this year is kindness. Being kind to others and ourselves can support our mental health and promote positive wellbeing. Visit the Wellbeing Team on Instagram (@uomwellbeing) to find out how you can get involved!

We all have the capacity to be kind. Kindness has been shown to have many benefits for the wellbeing of both the giver and the receiver. Pay it forward acts of kindness (when we do something without expecting anything in return) have been shown to be particularly good at boosting wellbeing. Take a look at our random acts of kindness journal for some ideas! You can also visit our Six Ways to Wellbeing ‘‘Give’ webpage for more suggestions about how you can practice kindness.

Self-care is a way we can be kind to ourselves. Sleep, healthy eating habits, mindful acceptance, social support and physical activity are great ways to practice self-care. Take a look at our sleep webpage, support network resource and gratitude journal to support you in your self-care.