Mental health problems are nothing new, so it’s quite disheartening to know that so many people are still experiencing them. We are hopeful that the numbers will go down in the future once the current pandemic has subsided.
Whatever the case, everyone could benefit from better mental health, so here are some tips for you.
1. Look at the Bright Side More Often
It’s normal to feel frustrated, disappointed, and helpless when things constantly don’t go your way. Given sufficient time, these emotions can turn into subconscious habits that become increasingly difficult to manage. It can thus be challenging to see the good when things seem to be tilted to the unfavorable.
The first thing to do in such situations is to acknowledge that you are missing the forest for the trees. You are right that there are a lot of people who are better off, but you are also neglecting the fact that a lot of people are worse off. Negative emotions beget more negative emotions, and these can envelope your vision until all you feel is doom and gloom.
Keeping a positive mindset can thus go a long way because you will have the perspective that life is happening for you and not to you. Use this train of thought to your advantage and only concern yourself with what you can influence and/or have control over. Focusing on anything else is simply counterproductive and a waste of your precious time.
2. Be Grateful
Gratitude is being appreciative about the things in your life, even if you live paycheck-to-paycheck. It’s a powerful tool that is available to anyone, anywhere. All it takes is a moment of your time and sincerity to make your day a little better.
We wrote about the magic of being grateful and how you can use it to improve your mental health.
3. Be Open to New Experiences
When was the last time you thought about the number of experiences that a person can have in one lifetime? Whatever the number, it’s not infinite.
So doesn’t it just make sense that you want to experience your life to its fullest instead of limiting yourself?
We think it does, and that it’s a good idea to be open to new and even scary experiences. Be proactive, inquisitive, and mindful about the world. Doing so will allow your brain to experience the unfamiliar and create new patterns, which are important for a healthy brain.
And you can always choose to experience something different no matter where you are.
4. Take a Break
Many believe that activity equals progress. This perspective, while not necessarily wrong, may not be the best approach over the long term.
A better way is to take a break every now and then by allocating yourself some ‘me time‘. This can be anything like a 30-minute walk around the block, a yoga session with your friends, or a weekend investigating some new places.
5. Accept Yourself
You may not be the wealthiest, smartest, or the most beautiful person in the world. The good news is that you don’t need to be. You are unique in your own ways, and that’s all that really matters.
Try to love yourself more, take others’ criticisms less harshly, and don’t be too self-critical. Accept yourself for who you are, your strengths and flaws, your successes and failures. Seek not happiness externally but from within.
6. Avoid Engaging in Destructive Habits
Do your best to refrain from things that are harmful to your health, mentally or otherwise.
These can include things like irregular sleeping patterns, screen addiction, or substance abuse by replacing them with better ones. It’s easier said than done since habits are difficult to undo, but it doesn’t mean that it’s impossible.
Start by identifying your bad habits and pick the ones that are easier to overcome. Commit yourself to change them, and you will be rid of these undesirable habits before you know it.
