Winter is coming and some of us are preparing to be on lockdown again. Let’s stick together and learn a few ways to improve your mental health.
1. Connect With Others
People are naturally social, and those strong bonds help us stay emotionally grounded. Even if you can’t physically be around your friends, reach out by phone or video conference to maintain those connections.
2. Stay Active
While exercise is not a panacea, staying physically active can boost both your physical and emotional health. It provides a boost of energy and causes the release of feel-good hormones. If you are concerned about being around crowds, talk with pool builders in Dallas who can help you design a backyard oasis for you and your family to enjoy all summer long.
3. Learn a New Skill
There are serious emotional and cognitive benefits of learning a new skill. It can boost your memory and processing ability, not to mention your self confidence. Whether you have always wanted to play a specific instrument or speak a new language, now is the perfect time to check it off your list.
4. Take Care of Your Body
There is a direct connection between physical and emotional health. Taking the time to properly care for your physical body can reduce feelings of stress, anxiety and depression. Eat a balanced diet, drink plenty of water and get seven to eight hours of sleep a night for the best results.
5. Tackle Stress
Stress is a natural part of life, but that doesn’t mean it is always healthy. Learn a few techniques for dealing with it to avoid becoming overwhelmed. Yoga, coloring, and listening to relaxing music are all popular choices.
6. Share Your Talents
If there is something you are especially good at, why not share that skill with others? It can help you feel accomplished and needed, both of which will boost your emotional health. Look for opportunities to volunteer in your local community at schools, libraries, community gardens, and senior centers.
7. Try Mindfulness
Mindfulness is, in a nutshell, the practice of being present in the moment. It is a powerful tool that uses breathing, relaxation and visualization techniques to help you feel balanced and centered. Start with short sessions of about five minutes and work your way up to longer ones as if starts to feel more natural.
8. Head Outside
Nature has an amazing ability to heal your mind and body. Try to spend at least fifteen minutes each day outside in the fresh air to take advantage of those qualities.
9. Practice Gratitude
There are so many benefits to practicing gratitude that pretty much everyone can improve their emotional, physical and social status by adopting it. Practice gratitude by simply noticing the good around you. Keep a journal or start a gratitude jar to help you stay focused on the task.
10. Know the Signs of Distress
There are times where you may become overwhelmed. Know the warning signs of failing mental health so that you can find the appropriate help.
Practicing self care, staying active and engaged and looking for ways to build resiliency can help improve your mental health. Be sure to seek help if you feel overwhelmed.
Identity Magazine is all about guiding women to discover their powers of Self-Acceptance, Appreciation, and Personal Achievement.
We ask that every contributor and expert answer the Identity questions in keeping with our theme. Their answers can be random and in the moment or they can be aligned with the current article they have written. In that way, and as a team, we hope to encourage and motivate each other, thus inspiring you to Get All A’s.
1. What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? Additionally, what are you still working on accepting? Now, we’re not talking about resignation, rather stepping into, embraced, and owned.
Although it has taken me much time to accept, I have learned that setting goals is actually the best thing I can do for myself and my family. Sometimes we make excuses or believe goals are a waste of time, but they are not. All it takes is commitment and lots of reminders to make your goals a part of you.
2. Appreciation is everything. What have you learned to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? On the other hand OR in contrast, are there elements of who you are that you’re still working on appreciating?
It’s okay to have hard days; that makes us human! I don’t want to appear weak or insecure, but sometimes a cry or a vent is the healthiest thing for me. We all need it sometimes.
3. Share with us one of your most rewarding achievements in life? Tell us not only what makes YOU most proud but also share the goals and dreams that you still have.
Something little but remarkable — I love my work office! It is neat, clean, and fully decorated by me. Sometimes I take a break from work just to have a conversation with myself in the office, as if the walls are offering healthy advice!
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels
