Mental health is our overall psychological and emotional well-being. It’s much more than just a diagnosis. It involves the way you feel about yourself and others. It includes your ability to manage your feelings and deal with every day conflicts.
At times taking care of your mental health can mean seeking professional support and treatment. It can also include taking personal steps towards improving your own emotional health on a daily basis. Making small changes can improve all areas of your life including your mood, attitude, and overall outlook on life.
Here are three things you can do to help your mental wellness:
- Value and invest in yourself
- Your body is your temple – take care of it
- Surround yourself with good people
Value and invest in yourself
Be kind to yourself and avoid negative self-talk. Make time in all your commitments for your own self-care. Do things you enjoy such as hobbies, read books, favorite projects or crafts, cooking, or learn something new. Take time for yourself by doing a daily crossword puzzle, tending to a garden, read a book, or take some time to decompress. Learn something new – such as dance lessons, learn to play an instrument, or learn a new language. While it may be difficult at times, try and put yourself at the top of your to-do list and find time for you.
Your body is your temple – take care of it
Taking care of yourself physically can help improve your health mentally.
- Eat nutritious meals and limit sugary intake.
- Stop smoking.
- Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water each day
- Get your rest. 7-8 hours of sleep each night is ideal. Researchers believe that lack of sleep contributes to a high rate of depression. Plan an evening routine to encourage
good night o f rest. - Exercise. Any form of exercise will help decrease depression and anxiety and improve your mood. Walking, biking, running, yoga, swimming, or any group exercise. Think of ways to get yourself moving a few days a week and keep active.
Surround yourself with good people
People with strong family or social connections are generally healthier than those who lack a support network. Make plans with supportive family members and friends, or seek out activities where you can meet new people. When times get rough, lean on your support system. Finding your tribe to discuss your worries, stress, concerns, fears, and celebrate your successes and good times is important in your mental health.
There will always be good days and not-so-good days –
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Great tips, being surrounded by uplifting positive people is a key point for me! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Great tips-especially who you surround yourself with. Also, what media you surround yourself with. if you watch and view negative social media you will find yourself much more negative than when you focus on positive vibes.
Great advice! People make such a difference!
Thank you for the advice!
AMEN to surrounding yourself with good people. Most don’t realize this until later in life, if ever. I have only begun to understand the significance of the company I keep! Great stuff in this post.
Taking care of my body is the one I struggle with the most. I’ve had a LOT of health issues the past few years, so you would think I would make this a priority. Finding the energy to do it, however, is difficult. I really just need to make myself start doing something…maybe taking walks a few times a week just to get myself moving.
yes, this is all very true! especially surrounding yourself with good people, this is something we learn as kids growing up – you are who you hang with and we should all want to be good people!
This was a good read, I think everyone could use these reminders more often.
I think he tip about surrounding yourself with good people is something people often times overlook. Yes we are all in control of ourselves but the impact others can have on someone especially that is more of an empathy can be devastating. Your tribe is so important. Great Advice!
Great rules to live by. I like uplifting people around me too!
I’ve been off of sugar sing 1/1/20 – it is so liberating! Thanks for all the great advice.
yup! all three of those!!!! they seem so simple and yet they can be the most difficult things …
Great advice! My life has been so different since I stay away from negative people that are always looking for drama. This is so important, and hard sometimes to realize.
My goal is to create a timeline to take care of myself and health and family and job and feel successful in this. It’s so much!!
I need to remember that exercise reduces anxiety. I try to get enough sleep, but I am always working on that.
I always feel better when eating healthy, exercising and being around positive people. Thanks for the reminders!
Great info! It’s so important to take care of ourselves and surround ourselves with good people.
Great advice!! Being around positive people and taking care of yourself really is so important to everyone’s mental health!
Taking care of yourself emotionally makes all the difference in the world. Great tips!
Cut the negative people out of your life. It can be so draining and wreck havoc on you.
These are all great tips. I try to follow them all.
Just what I needed today! Thanks for sharing!
Good people for me is so key!
I always, always, always need this reminder. I know it, but let life keep pushing these intentional actions to the bottom of the to-do list. I keep reminding myself that these aren’t ‘to-dos,’ but are actually essential to my life as a foster/adopt parent.
Thank you! Life is great when we take care of ourselves definitely!
Great tips! I really need to work on self care more- it’s hard to do with a baby at home, but I can already see how not taking care of myself is affecting me
Learning to love yourself and lead with an open heart because of that fact draws the positive. Great tips!
These tips are right on the money and I’m good on most EXCEPT getting the 7-8 hours of sleep. Who has time to sleep? I’m working on increasing it from 5 hrs to 6, but its tough going. Theres not enough hours in the day. Thanks for your post.
These are very good ideas to help people maintain good mental health.
I love your note about avoiding negative self-talk. The far-reaching positive ramifications of speaking kindly to yourself are astounding!
I love these tips that you provided! They are great. Not a lot of people realize how important it is to take care of yourself.
Such simple, great tips – that are sometimes just so hard to employ sometimes.
Great actionable tips! As someone suffering from anxiety this is a handly checklist for me!
Great tips! I tell people this all the time at work (I’m a clinical psychologist).
Great list! Especially surrounding yourself with great people… makes a world of difference.
Great tips and advice! Our mental health is so important and following this especially ” valuing yourself” is the best step to a mentally healthier person! Love it!
Great advice! Maintaining good health and mental health is critical.
Staying positive is sometimes difficult, but your tips make so much sense! Great suggestions!
Very helpful ideas. I have been working on taking care of my body, and I always feel so much better when I do.
Your post is spot on. I have had to learn the importance of many of these things the hard way. Thanks for writing it out so others can have a direct path to healthier living.
These are such great reminders. Self care is so important and valuing yourself is a must
Thanks for sharing and reminding me of these steps. So important. And especially as caregivers we tend to ignore this for ourselves. Good stuff.
Great tips! As a mom, wife and caregiver {for my own mom,} I often forget to take care of myself!
Awesome tips and very good advice. We all need to take good care of ourselves .
Great tips! I can really use this today! Thanks!
Terrific tips for wellness and self healing.
Some good ideas for our wellness
I think the one we often get lost in is “Value and invest in yourself”. In my experience, it has always been about others and after 40 years, I finally realized that I was not happy nor excited about life in general. It was always about work and extended family and good friends. In the end, I needed to change some things and focus on my needs and wants – very hard transition.
I love these tips. That last one is so huge for me. Changing my circle has been so beneficial to my mental health.
I love this! I would love to share on my Facebook business page sometime! Reach out to me via email if interested! lizdefinnis@gmail.com
I will certainly reach out to you! Thanks!
Great read! I really liked these tips. Thank you for sharing.
Such great tips! Taking care of my body is what I’m trying to work for now, but it is so hard to fit in time to exercise with all my kids and their activities! But I do feel better when I do fit it in!
Great tips. I’m trying to drink more water right now… that’s been helping a lot but I also think your tip about surrounding yourself with positive people is awesome. Attitudes and their energy is contagious.