Mental health is as important as physical health. After all, your brain is responsible for regulating your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. So, if you're feeling off balance, it can impact every other aspect of your life. There are many factors that contribute to our mental health. And, there are some simple things we can do to boost our mood and improve our outlook on life. Here are some easy ways through which you can improve your mental well-being.
1. Balanced lifestyle: Make exercise, healthy diet, nutrition, seven-eight hours of sleep and a favourable routine, a non-negotiable for you. A balanced lifestyle can help relieve stress and anxiety, and adds to energy and vigour in life.
2. Journalling: Make morning journalling a part of your routine. You can write your thoughts, feelings, achievements, memories, goals, visions, coping mechanisms, or highlights of the day. This helps in reducing overthinking, brings clarity, improves mood and boosts mental health in the long run.
3. Power of words: The words you use have a great impact on your mental and emotional well-being. Change the words from, “I always goof up” to “This hasn’t worked out as I planned, let me see who can help me with this”. Keep the focus on what you would like to create instead of what you lack or don’t want in your life. Our focus goes in the direction of our words and that impacts our emotions and reality to a great extent.
4. Nurture connections: Whether it’s spending time with family and friends or joining a supportive community, social interactions are crucial for mental health. Take time out to build and nurture your connections.
5. Find a creative outlet: Expressing yourself through art, music, writing, dance, or any other creative outlet can help to reduce stress and anxiety and also elevate mood.
6. Take breaks: During the day, take small mental health breaks to practice mindfulness, breathing exercises, gratitude, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation or guided imagery. These activities help to reduce stress and promote a sense of calm and well-being.
By taking just a few minutes out of your busy day to focus on your mental health, you can make a big difference in your overall health and well-being. We may feel like we are the only ones going through what we are going through, and that seeking help is a sign of weakness. But the truth is, mental health issues are more common than we think. One in four adults will experience a mental health issue at some point in their lives. And seeking help from a professional is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it can be the first step on the road to recovery. Mental health professionals can help us to understand our thoughts and feelings, and can provide guidance and support during difficult times. If you are struggling with your mental health, don't be afraid to seek help from a professional.
(The writer is is Psychotherapist, Life Alchemist, Coach & Healer, Founder & Director, Gateway of Healing)
