It's always the right time to put your mental health first.
In recent years, Selena Gomez has urged her fans to slow down and put a greater focus on their well-being. And as Mental Health Awareness Month kicks off on May 1, the 29-year-old is sharing three small steps every individual can take to improve their mindset.
For starters, Selena recommends focusing your energy on the things that make you happy and acknowledging what is outside of your control. "For me, things like music, writing, and being with friends and family make me happy," she exclusively told E! News, "so I surround myself with people and things that bring positivity and happiness to my life."
Another important step is to learn about yourself. According to Selena, understanding and acknowledging your feelings and being aware of triggers will help you get ahead of them.
"The more in tune I am with this, the better equipped I am to try and implement the coping skills and tools I've learned," she added.
But perhaps the greatest piece of advice is the simplest one: Reach out for help if you need it. "It's not always easy to talk about how you're feeling," Selena shared. "But having a close friend or family member you trust and can confide in is so important."
During the month of May, Selena is merging her passion for mental health advocacy with her beauty and ice cream brands to raise awareness for mental health services.
E! News can exclusively announce that Serendipity Brands will donate $1 from every ice cream pint and product sold in May to the Rare Impact Fund.
According to Selena, who created her own ice cream flavor, Cookies & Cream Remix, the partnership will help support organizations that provide mental health access and resources to young people.
"Just by eating ice cream, you can help raise funds to address the gaps in mental health services and education," she said. "We launched the Rare Impact Fund in 2020 as part of Rare Beauty's commitment to give people access to the resources they need to support their mental health. Our mission is to increase access to mental health services in educational settings and destigmatize mental health."
As for why Selena continues to be a public advocate for mental health, her reasoning is simple. By sharing her own journey, the singer knowns she is reminding fans that they are never alone with their struggles.
"I've been able to use my platform to talk openly about my own mental health and by sharing our stories, we can all help to reduce the stigma associated with mental health," she said. "I'm so thankful for my fans who share their own stories with me, and it means so much when I hear how they've reached out to someone for support and are now prioritizing their mental health needs. Currently, seven out of 10 Gen Zers experience common symptoms of depression, which is staggering. It goes to show that now, more than ever, we need brands, celebrities, government and mental health experts addressing mental health."