Mental health doesn't just begin when things fall apart

Today is World Mental Health Day.

And maybe this is exactly the right moment to ask ourselves a question:

How am I really doing?

Not: Am I still functioning?
Not: Am I managing my daily life?
Not: Can I handle work, family, appointments, and all the things that need to be done?

Instead:
How am I doing—behind all this “functioning”?

The past few days have reminded me once again how easily these two things can be confused with one another.

I can organize.
I can drive.
I can make decisions.
I can be there for my child.
I can unpack a camper, do laundry, work, plan, and find solutions.

And yet, at some point, my system might say:

That's enough. I need some peace and quiet.

Maybe that's exactly the kind of thing we should be saying much more often when it comes to mental health.

It doesn't start only when someone can no longer get up.
It doesn't start only with a diagnosis.
It doesn't start only when someone breaks down.

Mental health is also reflected in whether we're still even aware of what we need.

Whether we realize when something is becoming too much.

Whether we allow ourselves to take a boundary seriously before our body or our soul has to draw it for us.

This afternoon, I was thinking about going to the sauna.

It's actually a nice idea.

Warmth. Relaxation. Wellness.

And yet I realized:

I don't feel like doing anything "wellness"-related today. I just want to get away from it all.

No people.
No conversations.
No other impressions.

Just at home. Pumpkin soup. The sofa. Peace and quiet.

In the past, I might have thought: “Now that you have the day off—why not make the most of it?”

Today I think:

Maybe I'll use it right when I don't have to do anything with it anymore.

For me, mental health therefore has a lot to do with self-awareness.

With the ability to do more than just ask:

What else do I need to do now?

But also:

What do I really need right now?

And sometimes the answer isn't in even more self-improvement, another appointment, or a perfect self-care routine.

Sometimes it's a matter of shifting down a gear.

Setting a limit.

Accepting help.

Not wanting to carry something alone anymore.

Or to admit to yourself:

I'm tired.

Not weak.
Not ungrateful.
Not incompetent.

Just tired.

And perhaps that's exactly what we need—more honest voices speaking out on this issue.

Because, to me, mental health doesn't mean always being strong, positive, or well-balanced.

It also means staying in touch with myself when life gets hectic.

To sense what is happening right now.

And not to lose myself in the process.

Maybe that's why my question on today's World Mental Health Day isn't actually:

"Are you mentally healthy?"

It's actually much simpler:

How are you really doing—and do you even listen to yourself anymore?

The theme for World Mental Health Day 2026 is “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change.” Perhaps change begins right there: when we stop just talking about mental health—and start giving real experiences a voice.