Project 1 Small ACT

There is an "I" in 'selfish' BUT starting difficult conversations with "I" statements is not.

As the holidays get into full swing, now feels like a good time for a reminder about the importance of using "I" statements in hard(er) conversations. "I" statements help us navigate conflict in a healthy, productive way by preventing the other person from feeling blamed as well as reducing hostility and defensiveness. They also help us grow our emotional intelligence by making us take responsibility for our own thoughts and feelings.

One way to ? Maintain (or regain as the case may be) control over your financial wellness. Start with small steps: set up automatic transfers to your savings account, review your current spending habits, and/or start an emergency fund and a rainy day fund ☔️

Make room at your table (or party, or get-together, or reservation, etc.) for someone who may not have a place to be for the holiday season. Your invitation doesn’t need to be fancy, just a text to whomever comes to mind who may need a place to celebrate this season.

Rituals and traditions are powerful organizers of family and social life that offer connectedness and stability during times of stress and transition. But don’t be afraid to switch them up to accommodate the season (Friendsgiving has only been an official term in the dictionary since 2020 🤓).

If you’re deployed or separated from those who you typically enjoy your holidays with, try adding your own spin to keep traditions going from afar like a recipe-share, text/email each other something that you appreciate about one another every day for a week, read the same book together and discuss it, or plan a virtual game night.

While full of joy and festive celebration, we know the holiday season can also bring increased levels of stress and anxiety 😅

We're here to help.

Over the next two weeks, we'll be sharing our favorite tips, activities, and resources to help you and others make room for mental health this holiday season.

Help make everyone on your team feel supported and seen. Learn more:

Celebrating Inclusion Makes Us Stronger Connection helps us grow both personally and professionally. Fostering an open and inclusive environment improves our well-being – whether we’re empowering our shipmates to succeed, deepening our b…

Asking for help demonstrates leadership. Role model positive actions for others by collecting and sharing resources for psychological health:

Make Asking for Help a Habit Has anyone ever figuratively (or literally) patted you on the shoulder for being a “tough cookie” after bouncing back from challenging situation? This may feel nice in the moment, but navigating di…

When someone loses a loved one to su***de, grief can be compounded by feelings of guilt, confusion and even anger and embarrassment. How can you help? Learn what you can do:

A Different Kind of Grief: How to Help Survivors of Su***de Loss International Survivors of Su***de Loss Day is November 17. When someone loses a colleague or loved one to su***de, grief can be compounded by feelings of guilt, confusion and even anger and embarr…

Be proud. Write a list of the accomplishments you’ve achieved and let yourself be proud. Whether it was a promotion at work or not eating out as much, nothing is too big or too small to count.

Think about a time you've made someone else smile. Pass the feeling on. Cultivating strong social bonds often directly influences our own happiness.

Su***de is often a sudden decision. Putting time and distance between a person under increased stress and a firearm can save a life.

Open up to someone you trust. Talking with someone you’re close with about a setback can help you reframe the issue and/or find a solution.

Make your socials a beneficial space for you. Take 10 minutes to go through your social media and email. Unfollow or unsubscribe from content that no longer serves you.

Practice safety. Take a few extra precautions to maintain effective firearm safety and to keep you and your loved ones safe. ***dePreventionDay

If you noticed something is off with a loved one, now is the time to ACT! Reach out and connect them with the Military Crisis Line. Call, chat or message 24/7: dial 1-800-273-8255, press 1, click http://bit.ly/MILCrisisLine, or text 838255.

We all play a part in creating a supportive environment where those who need help have the courage to seek help and feel supported. If you need ideas for how to support a loved one, check out our blog:

15 Simple Ways to Show Someone You Care By establishing and maintaining a thriving support network, you can improve your own well-being. No matter the type of relationship, investing in your connections can strengthen your communication …

Prepare your favorite meal. What we eat is a critical element of good physical and mental health.

Establishing healthy habits, routine, and rituals are helpful, but try to not hold yourself to standards that aren't feasible. Practice flexibility by switching up one of your routines that is causing more stress than it's taking away.

Have a little “me time.” Sometimes, all it takes is a moment of quiet to help center you. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and focus on what’s important to you today.

Recognizing risk is an essential component of su***de prevention. Understanding how to spot social media content that may indicate risk is an important first step that can enable early intervention:

Recognizing Risk and Reaching out to a Friend on Social Media Recognizing risk is an essential component of su***de prevention. Human communication has changed over time and social media is now one of the most common means of interacting with friends, family …

Know the facts about lethal means safety. Adding time and distance between someone at increased risk su***de risk and a lethal method is an effective way to prevent su***de.

Create space for your mental health. Self-care is an essential part of wellness (read: self-care isn't selfish!). Take a moment to build out a weekly self-care plan.

Focus on what you can control. Spend energy on the issues in your life that you can affect instead of the things you can’t to help you maintain a healthy outlook.

Many su***de attempts are made during a short-term crisis period. Storing lethal means properly can interrupt the impulse and give someone in crisis just enough time to reconsider a su***de attempt. Understand how to protect yourself and others.

Starting a conversation about mental health can feel like an Everest of a conversation, but sometimes three small words are all it takes to :

What Three Words Can Do The Project 1 Small ACT campaign from the US Navy's Su***de Prevention Program developed this video to help people understand that it only takes "three small...

Connection with others helps prevent su***de. Take some time today to reach out to at least 3 people in your social circles and 3 people you work with—say hello, ask how they are *really* doing, share a compliment, crack a joke together.

Always remember: The world is a better place with you in it.