Improving my mental health and beginning to live a wholesome life has been one of the most extensive processes I have ever embarked on. It has become a beautiful journey that continues without a true destination for arrival. I wholly believe that there is no “arrived” place in recovery, healing, or restoration as they pertain to mental well-being.
However, I do things every day to ensure that I remain in a place where I can fully show up in my life. They are practices I employ to maintain a sustainable way of life and to remain connected to my values and authentic self.
- Gratitude journal
Every morning, I open up my day with gratitude journaling to get my mind running. At the bare minimum, I write 5 things I am grateful for in my life followed by a daily set of journal prompts that set me up for my day. This has provided me an avenue to keep my mind on the positive things that are a privilege in my life and acknowledge all that I am fortunate to have.
It can be so easy to take what we have in life for granted and not see all that we are blessed with. I have found that once I focus on the good things around me, my mind is less likely to hang onto the painful or uncomfortable conditions in life. I start to recognize more joy, satisfaction, and love flowing through my heart and into the world around me.
Additionally, it sets my mind on where I can be more mindful about presenting gratitude and appreciation throughout the day. I start to express my appreciation to the people around me (friends, family, healthcare workers, neighbors, etc), the small moments that bring me joy, or the world that surrounds me. I thank God for all that He provides me with and places into my day. By showing this thankfulness and recognition, I have strengthened relationships, brightened someone else’s day, and opened my mind to endless possibilities for contentment.
I have found myself much more grounded and in a more positive mindset when I begin my mornings with writing my gratitude and seeing all that I have in my life. My mental well-being is heightened just by 10 minutes of writing and reading the big and the small nuggets of gold in my daily experiences.
- Exercise
Growing up as an athlete, I spent the majority of my days working out or practicing. It became a daily habit to get onto the field for quick rounds of training, going outside for a quick run, or visiting the gym for lifting sessions. It became second-hand, yet it was something that I loved to do: moving my body to increase strength, improve my endurance, or just clear my head.
Furthermore, it has been proven to me time and time again just how pivotal exercising is for my mental health. When I first started running long distances, I leaned into the alone time and found that my anxiety significantly decreased as I had time to move and think. My depressive moods became less frequent as I got boosts of adrenaline and endorphins to lift my spirits and find confidence in my own being. I can find appreciation for my body’s ability rather than be hyper-focused on how it looks. I am able to challenge myself and come out stronger physically and mentally on the other side. By getting at least 45 minutes of a workout each day, I set myself up to be calmer, more focused, and overall happier.
Exercise may look different for everybody. For me, I love running, pilates, cycling, and hiking as my main forms of exercise. For other people, it may be dancing, rock climbing, yoga, or lifting. It is all about what makes you feel good in your body and fuels you for the day.
It is also important to have a healthy relationship with exercise; one that doesn’t cause stress or anxiety or fear, but rather one that clears your mind and promotes physical health. I know all too well just how stressful over-planning workouts or worrying about effectiveness is, creating an overwhelming state of mind. This shouldn’t be how movement is. Celebrating our bodies with movement can be an incredible experience and can cultivate a sense of strength, love, and confidence.
It is also so much fun to build community through exercise! Joining a hiking group, a running club, yoga classes, or a Tabata tribe can encourage you to keep showing up to workouts and find connections. Being part of a sports team, another level of comradery came when we finished a workout that truly kicked our butts. Similarly, when you finish the hardest round of burpees next to someone else who is also rocking some butt sweat, the feeling of accomplishment and relationship grows.
- Go Outside
One of my main values is nature; it’s where I find myself the most grounded, grateful, and connected. As I started to make it a daily habit to spend time outside, I found my mental clarity became more acute. Whether I am going on a walk, reading, spending time with a friend, walking my dogs, or gardening, I become in tune with my senses and my mind.
I believe the power in just going outside is greatly overlooked in today’s culture, especially when we have the world at our fingertips with the internet. But I can attest that going into the mountains for a few hours for a hike provides a sharply clarifying feeling and experience for myself that I cannot get by simply reading at home or looking at Pinterest boards of people hiking. Being part of the world and immersing myself in nature allows for a much greater opening of life that resets my mind and shows me how profoundly beautiful life is.
Further, it is said so often but very rarely recognized, that God made this earth for us to explore and roam and enjoy. He made the trees, the oceans, the hills, and us! How wonderful to see the beauty of the natural world and know that the same power that created each of us as individuals. By going into nature and being with the environment, we can become aware of the vast beauty that surrounds us, become connected with the living world, and find peace within ourselves.
Being outside gives us the fresh air that our bodies so often crave and the Vitamin D that we need. It is also a perfect way to take breaks from work and responsibilities and tasks we may be spending time on. By giving ourselves a break and going outside, we can clear our minds and get reset for what’s next in our day.
- Check-In with Priorities and Values
One of the most pivotal exercises I’ve done throughout my years of therapy is to constantly assess and recognize my values. This has allowed me to know where I hold core beliefs, where I spend time, and what fills my cup. Once I identified my values and began to determine what my goals, visions, and priorities in my life are, I was able to begin creating meaningful experiences each day and live intentionally.
Now, every day I connect with my priorities and values, making the conscious decision to invest time where I want to and need to, rather than engaging in distractions or fruitless and platonic actions. It is a choice that I make to align with the pillars of my authenticity to ensure that I am remaining rooted in who I am.
Each morning, I list my priorities for my day that align with my values and the goals that I have set for my week. This may be as simple as journaling for 30 minutes to align with my value of self-knowledge, or it may be going on a hike with friends to feed my values of connection and adventure. By checking in throughout the day, I can attune my mind to what I want to achieve for that day. This has given me the power to fill my cup each day, feel less stressed around responsibilities, and be successful when working toward my goals.
BONUS IDEAS
- Cleaning/Decluttering
It has been said time and time again that cleaning can be one of the most therapeutic activities for someone to do. It is often assimilated with getting life in order, especially when we feel like we lack control.
I have found cleaning to be one of the best forms of self-care, thus being a great boost for my mental state. When I am in a cleaner, clutter-free space, I am much calmer and can work on tasks efficiently. I can also use it as a time to listen to a podcast for inspiration.
- Waking up Early
I have always been a morning person as I have found that I can be much more productive when I start my morning at 5 am. I can exercise, journal, and relax with my dogs before my family is waking up, and it’s the perfect amount of alone time. Once I made it a daily habit to wake up early, I was able to have a set morning and night routine, I released any guilt for not spending time on other tasks, and opened my day with a bang.
- Make a List
Each morning I like to make a list of my priorities for the day. It is similar to a To-Do list, but it is more general and aligned with my values rather than the responsibilities we pie into our day. At the beginning of each week, I choose 5 priorities to focus on (connection, writing, exercise, work, God, etc) and find a way to incorporate those into my day, no matter how small. This has allowed me to keep my thoughts in order while also being able to fill my soul by spending time with my values.
However, any list can be made:
- People to call
- Grocery list
- Gratitude list
- Plants to water
- Meetings
Any list you feel you need to make in a day, make it. The mind is released from having to remember all of these things, and putting them on paper brings them into reality.