Statistics show that 1 in 5 adults will experience a diagnosable mental illness at any given time. How can you put yourself in a good position to have a better mental health state each day? What steps do you need to take to do this? Remembering that what works for you may not be the same as what works for your family and friends is important.
Taking the time to identify how each of these tips makes you feel will help you develop a routine that works for you each day. Please keep reading to learn more about how to improve your mental health.
Practice Smiling
There is an old saying that shares how a smile can change someone’s day. This is true in many ways. While flashing a smile at a stranger can improve their day through the random act of kindness, it can also benefit you. Choosing to smile before you get out of bed or walk into a room can help you get into a positive mood.
Have you ever tried to genuinely smile when you are angry? It is much less convincing and usually doesn’t work. This may take some practice to get used to but the more that you find yourself smiling, the more positive mental health state you will be in.
Fuel Up
It is hard to accomplish anything when your gas tank is empty. Eating a healthy, balanced meal and drinking something with caffeine in it can get your day started on the right foot. This can be difficult if you have a chaotic morning of getting your family ready for work and school or find yourself running late on your long commute.
One way to make this a priority is to make a meal plan. You can prepare all of the food in advance and then it will be ready to take with you. This can also take the stress out of making dinner after an exhausting day of work because you will already have something prepared. Focusing on fuel, especially in busy times, is tough but essential to improving your overall mental health.
Cue the Music
Think about your current favorite song. How does it make you feel? Do you want to sing or dance? Are you smiling as you belt out the lyrics? Music is one of the best things that you can have in your mental health toolkit because it serves a variety of purposes.
It can be used to relax, boost your mood, or improve concentration in many instances. Some music is better for one purpose than the other, but the important thing is that you have a soundtrack to turn to when each of these situations arises.
Go for a Walk
Exercise is a go-to when you feel like your mental health is starting to decline. Humans were never meant to be sedentary creatures that go hours without moving from the couch or bed. Exercise doesn’t mean you have to run 10 miles or lift heavy weights, it just means you need to get your heart rate up. This can be achieved by going for a walk outside.
This opportunity will allow you to clear your head and see new things outdoors. You may have an unexpected conversation with a neighbor that lifts you up or relax in the presence of songbirds as you wander through the street. Walking can be done anywhere at any time and doesn’t require anything special from you other than the will to get out the door.
Talk, Talk, Talk
Talk about things. Find people in your life that you can go to for specific situations. Maybe you don’t talk about health-related things with your best friend, but instead, you could discuss books that you love. You could call your parents more often to check in on how they are. Not isolating yourself when your mental health isn’t at its highest is key.
Being alone doesn’t help you and your friends and family won’t be able to help if they are not aware of what is bringing you down. Another person that you can talk with is a mental health therapist. They are trained to help you regain a healthy mental state and know the right questions to ask to get to the bottom of what is causing any pain in your life.
Look Forward
Plan a trip to visit family in a few months. Plan a weekend away with your friends. Plan to go out to dinner tomorrow night. The idea of all of this is that you give yourself something to look forward to. Sometimes something as simple as knowing that you have dinner plans can power you through tough work situations.
Founder Dinis Guarda
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