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This blog post is about nurturing mental well-being.
Did you know there are ways that you can nurture your mental health so that you don’t get burnt out, stressed and overwhelmed?
In this blog post, you will learn the practical strategies that I did when recovering from depression and anxiety. These are steps that I still use to this day.
Managing and nurturing your mental health is key to a successful life.
Nurturing Mental Well-Being
1. Feeling Good Inside
Mental health is all about feeling good in our minds and hearts. It means finding a balance where your emotions and thoughts benefit your overall health instead of being in a cycle of negative thoughts.
“Mental wellbeing doesn’t have one set meaning. We might use it to talk about how we feel, how well we’re coping with daily life or what feels possible at the moment.”
Mind.Org.UK
2. Managing Emotions While Nurturing Mental Well-Being
Managing our emotions can be hard, especially when we are tired, burned out and overwhelmed with life.
It is totally normal to have emotions like anger, resentment, happiness and peace all in one week. However, when we don’t learn to manage these emotions, we can become disoriented in life and our mental health can suffer.
It is important to learn healthy ways to express and cope with our emotions.
Here are 3 practical steps you can take right now to manage your emotions:
- Notice your feelings: Pay attention to how you’re feeling without judging yourself. It’s okay to feel different emotions. Just be aware of them.
- Take a moment: Find quiet time to think about your emotions. Notice how they make your body feel. This can help you understand why you’re feeling that way.
- Find healthy ways to cope: Discover activities that make you feel better when you’re upset. Take deep breaths, go for a walk, talk to someone you trust, or ask for help if you need it.
3. Positive Thoughts and Meaningful Living
Having good mental health means having positive thoughts about ourselves.
It is easy to become downcast and miserable thinking about all the things that we should have done or should be dining, what went wrong or what will go wrong. These negative thoughts intrude on our ability to live happy and healthy.
Nurturing our mental health means thinking positively about life which can be hard to do sometimes.
Here are some practical steps you can take right now to think more positively even when you don’t feel like it:
- Be grateful: Think about things you’re thankful for, even small ones. Write down three things you appreciate or say them out loud. Focusing on the good can help you feel more positive.
- Change negative thoughts: When negative thoughts come up, question if they’re true. Look for evidence that supports positive thoughts instead. For example, instead of thinking “I’m not good enough,” think “I have strengths and abilities.”
- Surround yourself with positivity: Do things that make you happy. Listen to happy music, watch funny videos, read inspiring quotes, or spend time with positive people. Being around positive things can help you feel more positive too.
Having a meaningful life is just as important as thinking positively.
Take a moment to think about what makes you really excited, what keeps you going, and what inspires you.
Personally, talking about mental health gives me a sense of purpose. It lets me think about how I can help others and make a positive difference in the world, even if it means stepping outside my comfort zone.
4. Having Relationships and Connections with Others
Having strong connections with others boost our mental health and gives us a sense of belonging. This sense of belonging helps to make us feel stable and accepted in a fast-paced ever-changing world.
Whether it’s our family, friends, or being part of a sports team, belonging to these groups makes us feel connected and loved. This, in turn, strengthens our mental well-being and gives us a sense of control. We know that we’re not alone and have others to lean on.
When life throws challenges and we face difficult times, having people from our connected groups there for us makes a big difference. They show up, support us, and help us heal.
“Connections matter. Strong ties with family, friends and the community provide us with happiness, security, support and a sense of purpose. Being connected to others is important for our mental and physical wellbeing and can be a protective factor against anxiety and depression.”
Beyond blue
5. Taking Care of Ourselves
When we take care of our bodies, we take care of our minds. It is amazing how the body and mind are connected in so many ways.
When you’re feeling depressed or sad, it can be tough to find any energy to look after yourself. Just simple tasks like brushing your teeth or taking a shower can be overwhelming.
I understand this because I’ve been in that dark place where everything feels difficult, and self-care is the last thing on my mind. However, when you do take care of yourself, as I decided to do, it can actually make you feel better and motivate you to do more to improve your well-being.
I remember starting to exercise, paying attention to my appearance, and eating healthier. All of these things played a crucial role in my journey of healing, and they can do the same for you.
Here are 5 tips to start taking care of yourself today:
- Do activities that bring you happiness and joy.
- Make sure you get enough sleep and rest each day.
- Get the right foods into your body, and look up receipts and ways to get nutritious food into your body daily.
- Have a regular exercise routine, whether it be walking around the block or a gym session, and do an activity that you will look forward to.
- Seek support: Connect with loved ones or support groups for social support.
6. Nurturing Mental Well-Being: Reaching Out for Help
Sometimes, we need to reach out for help. We don’t have to know all the answers to our mental health struggles, that would be too overwhelming.
There are professionals who have studied and trained to assist us. I can not recommend therapy enough, seeing a psychologist who helped me with my thinking was the best thing I could have done to nurture my mental health.
Group therapy is also an option if you prefer not to face it alone. Reach out to a licensed therapist today to get the support you need or consider joining a support group. They can help nurture your mind and provide the guidance you’re seeking.
Here are resources to get you started:
This post was all about nurturing mental well-being.