This World Mental Health Day, our team shares what mental health means to them, their biggest stressors, and the personal ways they find calm and balance in their everyday lives.
Today, 10 October 2025, is World Mental Health Day, and it’s a good time to pause and think about how we are doing and how we can take better care of ourselves. Mental health looks different for everyone; what helps one person might not work for another, and that’s perfectly okay. Whether it’s finding calm on a busy day, setting boundaries, or knowing when to ask for help, we all have our own ways of managing life’s ups and downs.
I asked the team to share their thoughts on what mental well-being means to them, what challenges they face, and how they look after themselves in their own way. Trust me, you might pick up a tip or two that actually helps.
Denise, Managing Editor
For Denise, good mental health is “peace, calm, and confidence within.” She’s intentional about creating quiet moments every day, calling them “the most important thing.”
Stress, she insists, is something she’s learned to manage with awareness. “Stress is a choice,” she says matter-of-factly. Meditation helps her stay grounded, and she rarely feels overwhelmed. The most powerful lesson she’s learned is emotional control: “I have complete power over my emotions and that’s the most powerful thing.”
Esther, Content Editor
For Esther, good mental health is simple: “feeling happy without worry or anxiety.” In her day-to-day life, that means making time to rest, setting boundaries, and surrounding herself with supportive people. Journalling, listening to music, and taking time to simply rest help her stay grounded.
Right now, she admits that her Master’s thesis is her biggest source of stress. “At the moment, my thesis is stressing me out. However, I just have a lot to do as an adult, so much work with little rest,” she says.
When things get overwhelming, Esther finds comfort in connection. “Texting my man helps. All I need are his words of affirmation and motivation, and I’m good,” she laughs. However, she also believes in letting emotions flow. “I cry, then I go back to the task. Sometimes, you just need to let it out.”
Over time, she has learned that release is her best form of healing, whether through crying, talking to someone she loves, or simply sleeping it off.
Daniel, Video Editor
For Daniel, mental health starts with the basics: “Maintaining a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and engaging in regular physical activity,” he says. When work stress hits, he doesn’t overcomplicate things. “I rest (sleep) when I feel overwhelmed.”
Patricia, Features Editor
For Patricia, mental health means being able to enjoy her day without feeling consumed by stress. She defines good mental health as “working through my emotions and not remaining negative despite outward conditions.”
Her biggest stress factors include “work, family dynamics, and self-perception.” When things become too much, she steps back and turns to activities that calm and ground her — listening to music, enjoying a good meal, talking with friends, or painting. “Sometimes I call my sisters to talk through whatever’s overwhelming me,” she adds.
She grounds her approach to mental health in mindfulness. “I prioritise making sure my mind feels calm and clear. I do a lot of self-reflection to check in with where I am,” she says.
Chinazam, Fashion and Beauty Editor
For Chinazam, good mental health means having “time for myself, family, and my hobbies.” She’s honest about what challenges that balance, “Deadlines, anxiety, and driving,” she admits.
When she’s overwhelmed, she turns to yoga and literature to stay centred . “I drink tea, especially from a ceramic mini bowl. I find it calming,” she says with a smile.
Over time, she’s learned how much the body influences the mind. “Sometimes the mental stress is a result of body neglect,” she reflects. “Things like missing meals, not drinking enough water, and not exercising play huge roles on the psyche.”
Ashim, Fashion & Beauty Writer
Ashim believes that good mental health is “being happy, satisfied, and content with your position in life, even when things get tough.” Her biggest source of stress is plans that don’t go as expected, despite her best efforts.
To cope, she leans into comfort, “sleeping or watching my favourite dramas or variety shows on YouTube.” Over time, she’s learned that “the ability to overcome hardships is always more rewarding than letting yourself wallow in the darkness.”
Keno, Social Editor
Keno describes good mental health as “a sense of balance and peace.” However, she’s quick to admit that life in Lagos can make maintaining that balance difficult. “Money, my job, and the price of light — Band A is killing me!” she jokes.
When life feels heavy, Keno retreats to her quiet space. “I shut down, retreat into myself until I’m ready to come out again,” she says. She finds calm in simple routines like taking naps, going for walks, or listening to white noise. Sometimes, she puts her phone on Do Not Disturb and steps away from social media — a challenge, given that it’s part of her job.
Keno has learned to protect her peace with intention. “I’m a sensitive person and get easily agitated, so I’m extra careful with what I let into my space,” she explains. She’s also learned the power of community. “Talking helps. Community and sisterhood forever.”
Oyindamola, Lifestyle & Culture Writer
For me, good mental health means waking up each day feeling light, optimistic, and ready for whatever comes next. I try not to start the day with worry, but instead with gratitude.
My biggest source of stress is my health. Living with high blood pressure and being on the glaucoma spectrum means I have to pay close attention to my body. However, I’ve learned not to worry and take things in stride — my mum already stresses enough for both of us.
When life gets overwhelming, I escape into stories. I love to read — not self-help books, but fiction that lets me step into another world for a while. On softer days, I’ll watch Nollywood movies or eat a burger or pizza, my comfort food of choice — which I know are bad for my health, but they say you only live once.
The most important lesson I’ve learned about mental health is that worry doesn’t fix anything. You can’t think your problems away, but you can choose peace. So I try to choose happiness—and, over time, it’s become a lifestyle.
There’s no single definition of good mental health, and that’s what makes it so human. From journalling and yoga to naps, conversations, and comfort food indulgence, each person finds their own way to cope. As World Mental Health Day reminds us, taking care of your mind isn’t about perfection. It’s about honesty, self-awareness, and doing what works for you.
Read more: Wellness demands lifelong responsibility for health and well-being — your journey starts now
