Let’s Talk Mental Health

Whew! From Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month to the official launch of CareGivers, TransUnion’s newest Inclusion and Belonging Group, May was a busy month.

It was also Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to bring attention to mental health causes, encourage education and show support for the millions across the world who struggle with mental health challenges. In fact, according to NAMI , one in five U.S. adults experience mental illness each year — a staggering number that shows just how widespread an issue this is. ???

Mental health challenges can impact all facets of a person’s life, from routines and personal relationships to jobs and work/life balance. Throughout May, I had the opportunity to attend multiple events at TransUnion and reflect on how these various facets come together.?

Kicking off the month, our CareGivers group hosted its launch event with an informative panel. Panelists shared their diverse experiences with caregiving — including elder care, spouse and partner care, and caring for young children. I was grateful to my colleagues for sharing honest advice for associates in similar situations and strategies to support work/life integration. From day-to-day prioritizing to practicing clear communication, they were comfortable sharing how they bring their authentic selves and caregiver roles to work, something I greatly appreciated.

I also attended an event focused on mental health awareness, in which TransUnion leaders from across the organization came together both virtually and in person at our Chicago office. Yet again, I was impressed with — and thankful for — the candor of those who participated. Panelists shared details about their personal journeys with mental health and how it’s impacted them, as well as resources available to associates and their families. I’m proud to work for a company that creates spaces for open dialogues on topics like mental health, and I’m also proud to work alongside so many wonderful colleagues who are breaking the stigmas associates with it. Mental health has impacted me personally and within my immediate family, so it’s a relief to not have to navigate this complex subject alone.

Last but not least, in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, Pan-Asian Connect and Peace of Mind (another two of our Inclusion and Belonging Groups) partnered for an insightful event about time management. At face value, time management might not seem connected to mental health… But let’s face it: how we manage our calendars and whether we allocate time for things like self-care, relaxation and enrichment matters. How we spend our days is how we spend our lives, and this event reaffirmed the importance of finding stability in my work/life integration.

All in all, I’m heading into June with a new suite of tools to prioritize my mental health and a fresh outlook on what it means to practice good mental hygiene. Thank you to all my incredible TransUnion colleagues who shared such great tidbits about wellness this month; I’m so appreciative of your willingness to open up and share with our broader community.

And as Mental Health Awareness Month ends, I encourage you, too, to take some time to look inward and prioritize self-care and wellness. Let's collectively take a deep breath and conquer the week!