In today’s culture, we often see products, posts, articles, and advertisements about improving ourselves and our lives. We are fed ideas that we need to be going on a yoga retreat, take supplements, go to support groups, and meditate 5 times a week to achieve optimum mental well-being. We search for balance and peace while engaging in the daily hustle, wondering how we can slow down and hold our heads straight.
It is hard when we are often swept into what we believe to be the key to improving our mental health and wellness. However, there is no single solution to whisk away all of our worries and bring joy into our life. Yet, there are simple things we can be intentional about practicing to benefit our mental health. Here are the top 3 ways we can start to support our mental health!
3 Things You Can do for your Mental Health
Be honest and open about your feelings with the people in your inner circle.
There are a certain set of people in our lives whom we hold close to us: our best friends, our family, and our support groups. These are the people who will never leave you and have most likely seen you at your worst. These are the people whom you can trust to confide in and who you know will be there to support and love you.
It is important to be honest with these people about how we are feeling. Rather than glossing over the emotions we are feeling, be willing to be vulnerable about your sadness, frustrations, joys, and accomplishments. This allows the people around you to know how they can show up and support you, or even how they can celebrate you.
Being vulnerable about your emotions with others is a way to be authentic with yourself and rid your mind of any heavy burdens. You also let others validate your experience, which makes it easier to carry. I have found that when I am willing to talk about what I am feeling, the people around me are there to lift me up and boost my psyche. Doing so moves you toward a more content and accepting mental space, letting us boost mental health.
Prioritize taking time to do the things you love.
One of the hardest things for us to do is allow ourselves to take time to do the things that fill our lives with joy. It is easy to get caught up in the desire to be constantly striving for success, working for something new, or finishing our to-do lists. Unfortunately, this quickly leads to burnout and the loss of excitement and passion in our everyday lives.
One way to avoid this mental slump is to prioritize doing what you enjoy every day. This can be as simple as reading for 30 minutes, walking your dog, exercising in the mornings, or creating content for your social media posts. Anything that sparks a small fire within your soul and reminds you that your life is more than a monogamous march toward the end.
We can begin to make time for these things with intention by setting aside non-negotiable time for these activities. Instead of watching tv, read the book you’ve been wanting to start or play a game with your family. Hold a boundary with work and shut off your computer by 5 pm each day so you can transition into making dinner because you love to cook. Take time on the weekends to go for a hike rather than signing up for another obligation that you aren’t that into.
When we create time specifically for the things we love, we allow balance to reside in life and joy to accumulate.
Give yourself grace.
Acceptance of ourselves is often the hardest place to start improving our mental health. It seems to be much simpler to give grace ad love to those who are struggling around us than it is to give ourselves. This is common for people and holds us back from mental well-being.
We can start to improve mental health by accepting who we are and giving grace to our mistakes. We are, after all, human and fallible which makes us prone to slip-ups, human emotions, and changing circumstances. When we acknowledge this, we can free ourselves of harsh judgment and start to live in freedom.
Give yourself the space to accept your human condition, recognize that you are allowed to validate yourself and that you are more wonderful than you could ever know. There is no amount of criticism you could give yourself that will make you feel better. Instead, be gentle and kind to yourself as you deserve the utmost care. Give yourself grace as you would give a loved one grace, knowing this can help you move into a better mental state.