Last week, we talked about the importance of a good mental health. Today we will look at some general coping skills you can adopt to maintain a good mental health.
Be thankful! Practicing gratitude might be the easiest way to gain positive mental health, but very few people do it. A lot of my clients are resistant to being grateful and the reason I most often find is the anger and attachment to the outcome they wanted. I agree it can be difficult to be grateful in the face of frustration, anger, disrespect, or any other strong emotion. If you can just focus on the things that have been positive in the day, they can add up over time and you will start to see things with a different perspective.
Tips: Write down three things that happened during the day you are grateful for. Make sure to integrate your feeling and emotions of gratitude.
Get a good night sleep! Sleep problems, such as insomnia or disturbed sleep, are not only the symptom of lack of mental health, but can be a cause of mental illness. A good quality sleep is a measurement tool of both physical and mental health.
Tips: Keep a set time for bedtime and to wake up. Keep a bedtime routine like deep breathing, listening to soothing music, reading, or meditating, that signals your brain to prepare for sleep.
Write it out! Journaling is the most inexpensive therapy you can get. Journaling works because you are able to express your thoughts, feelings, fears, and desires without any judgments, which is a big part of professional therapy or counseling as well. You can keep your stress levels low; take out toxic thoughts out of your mind; and even can find solutions to problems and issues you might be struggling with. Writing things down make them more organized than having many thoughts swirling in your mind all at the same time. It feels chaotic although it may not be that big of a deal when you write it out.
Tips: Write everyday for about 15-20 minutes. Write whatever feels right. You can write about whatever is bothering you, any worries, fears, negative thoughts, positive thoughts, events, feelings, etc.
Get it going! There is no secret in the benefits of physical exercise. A regular routine of physical exercise for at least 20 minutes three times a week can alleviate mild depression.
Tips: If you are not doing any exercise right now, take baby steps but be consistent. Take out 15-20 minutes once a week for few weeks and then add another day of 15-20 minutes. Keep a journal of how you feel on the days you exercise. This can serve as a motivator to do it more often because it’s worth it.
Get professional help! If you are suffering from some of the symptoms I shared last week, please get professional help.
What does keep you mentally healthy?
