5 Ways to Stronger Mental Health
As you train your body to get fitter and tougher, you also want to train your mind to make it more resilient. Having a tough mind is essential if you want to succeed in life. Here are 5 great ways to strengthen your mental health:
Stop taking things personally.
People aren’t always looking at you or talking about you. Just because others mistreat you doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you. Accept the fact that you are responsible only for your actions, feelings and behaviours. While some things are way beyond your control, you are solely responsible on how you respond to these situations. Don’t think that the world is against you. Instead of ruminating about how bad things turned out, focus on the things you can do next time to make things better.
Let go of the past hurts.
The fact is that you can’t ever turn back the time. Therefore, dwelling into the past hurts and mistakes aren’t going to make you feel better or help you make the future a better one. Just like what the popular saying goes – you can’t drive a car and go through life looking backwards.
Mind your body.
A healthy body leads to a healthy mind. If you want to promote your mental health, you must also take good care of your physical health. Studies have shown that exercise and proper diet actually improve mental capacity and longevity. Being overweight can lead to self-esteem issues and eventually depression, and a salt- and fat-heavy diet makes for a lethargic body and mind. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Join a gym or create your own home workout programme and start addressing your physical health today.
Strive to eliminate bad habits.
Our daily habits make who we are. You can achieve a much better frame of mind, and live a lot longer, by changing your ways. Are you a chronic worrier? Do you tend to take things personally? Do you smoke or drink alcohol? Are you antisocial? List down the bad habits or behaviours that you want to change and think of ways on what you can do to address them.
Challenge yourself.
Learn a new skill or take on a challenge to meet a goal. You could take on something different at work, learn to cook a new recipe, or enrol in an online class. Learning improves your mental toughness. At the same time, it strengthens your skills and abilities which are key ingredients to success.
Manage stress wisely.
Stress is one of your major enemies when it comes to mental health. When you are under stress, things become harder to deal with. Studies show that stress affects our decision-making abilities and can even cause brain shrinkage! A balanced lifestyle can help you manage stress better. If you have trouble winding down, you may find that relaxation breathing, yoga or meditation can help.
Practise more kindness.
Volunteer your time for a cause or issue that you care about. Help out a neighbour, work in a community garden or do something nice for a friend. Vast research has shown that compassion promotes lasting happiness, which has a great effect on your mental health. There are many great ways to contribute that can help you feel good about yourself and your place in the world. Always remember that an effort to improve the lives of others is a good way to improve your life too.
Connect with others.
Develop and maintain strong relationships with people around you who will support and enrich your life. Spend more time with your friends and family. The quality of your personal relationships has a great effect on your wellbeing. Putting time and effort into building strong relationships can bring great rewards.
Be mindful.
Slow down. Take time to think of nothing and just focus your attention to your breathing. Notice the sensations your body feels. Check if there’s tension to any area and through deep breathing, try to release it. Practising mindfulness, by focusing your attention on being in the moment, is a good way to do this. Making a conscious effort to be aware of your inner and outer world is important for your mental health.
Reach out for help.
The perfect, worry-free life does not exist. Each one of us has our own set of challenges to face through our lifetime. Some challenges are easy to bear while others are not. Don’t hesitate to talk to your trusted mental health counsellor about things that trouble you. Going through life’s challenges are way easier when someone’s there to guide you and help you out.
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