Four Ways to Take Care of Your Mental Health

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I’ve struggled with my mental health for many years and learning how to take better care of myself is key! look after our mental health. Good mental health can help us feel better, be more productive at work and cope with everyday stresses in a more positive way. When we are feeling down and our mental health isn't at its best, things can seem more stressful and difficult. It’s impossible to be at your 100% every day of your life, which is why it's important to pay attention to how you are feeling and implement new strategies when you are feeling down. 

Below we look at four ways to look after your mental health. 

Ask for help 

One of the key ways to help support your mental health is to ask for help when you need it. Never be afraid to turn to your friends or family members when you are feeling down to ask for support. If you are suffering from some trauma, it could be worth speaking to an expert to help your mental wellbeing. Things like rapid resolution therapy are there to help you through traumatic experiences. There are also helplines you can call that operate 24/7. As they say, a problem shared is a problem halved and by simply sharing it with someone else can make a big difference. 

Keep active 

Being active is very important for not only your physical health but also your mental wellbeing. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day and you’ll feel the difference. Moderate exercise can be anything from a brisk walk to swimming or going for a bike ride. If you enjoy sports, why not join a sports team as this can be more motivational. Reach out to your friends and family members as they may join you when you are getting active. 

Remember to take a break 

If you are overworking yourself you will start to feel fatigued and chances are your sleep pattern and diet will not be at its best. All of this will contribute to your mental health slipping. Remember it’s important to take breaks from work and to just relax. Spend time with your family and friends or go away for a week. Forgetting about the hustle and bustle of everyday life and switching off can have a real positive impact on your mental health. 

Maintain a balanced diet

Another area of your life to pay attention to when looking after your mental health is your diet. What you eat can have a big effect on how you are feeling on a day to day basis. Unhealthy food like junk food can make you feel sluggish whereas fruits and salads can help you feel more energised. Try to eat the recommended five pieces of fruit and vegetables a day and if you can reduce your alcohol intake. 

What do you do to look after your mental health? Are there any points you would like to add to the above list? Have you tried to make any changes to your daily routine recently that you think would benefit our readers? Let us know in the comment box below. 

Why Is It So Hard To Accept Your Responsibilities?

It’s sad, so sad. 

Why can’t we talk it over? 

Oh it seems to me

That sorry seems to be the hardest word. 

When Elton John recorded the song in 1976, he probably didn’t imagine it would be so relevant to so many people. But the truth is that we are quicker to complain than we are to accept our responsibilities. And saying we are sorry is one of those impossible tasks that take a lot of personal work. Why is it so hard to admit you’ve made a mistake? For a lot of people, there is more a mistake than something that went wrong. Admitting your faults becomes a personal and self-exploratory journey that requires self-confidence, adequate self-defense, and forgiveness. Sorry is the hardest word because, ultimately, it exposes our flaws in a society that seeks perfection. 

Pixabay - CC0 License 

You take your mistakes too personally

We pursue an impossible image of perfection. Success is what social media lets us see. Unfortunately, what many of us fail to understand or recognize is how biased the world of social media can be. The perfect glamorous and gorgeous influencers you follow are not afraid of airbrushing and editing their selfie shots. When you compare your reflection in the mirror against their promotional Insta-selfies, you can help but feel inadequate. But, it helps to remind yourself that these pictures may not be as realistic as they appear. Besides, even if they are, they are the result of years of hard and dedicated work. The same principle applies to successful entrepreneurs who seem to do everything right and happily share how they made their latest million. Everybody makes mistakes, and because you can’t see those made by other people, it doesn’t mean they are perfect. Accepting that mistakes are part of your journey to self-improvement makes it easier to recognize and cherish your faults. 

You feel defenseless when you’re in the wrong

Are you worried about feeling exposed and at the mercy of others when you admit your mistakes? It is a common fear. However, you can surround yourself with legal advisors such as Golden Law Office, who are specialized in defending your rights. Indeed, there is no denying that not all mistakes are equal. Some might carry massive consequences. Nevertheless, all faults should be handled with the same fairness of judgment. In other words, making a mistake doesn’t mean you should always be paying the highest price for it. 

You find it hard to forgive, even yourself

It is impossible not to be disappointed by the people you trust. And when they do, you can find yourself thinking about them negatively and feeling irritated about unrelated things. Holding a grudge is an attitude we revert to when we find it hard to forgive and move on. People who have high expectations about others tend to develop grudges. But when it comes to yourself, you may have the same approach to your own mistakes. As such, you could struggle to forgive yourself or to move forward with a positive mindset. 

Accepting your faults and being able to grow from past mistakes is a delicate art to master. More often than not, fear, self-doubt, and self-resentment can affect your path to personal development. Our mistakes are part of us. While you don’t need to celebrate them, accepting them gives you the strength to grow and be at peace with your conscience. 

Are you REALLY happy?

Happy - adjective: Feeling or showing pleasure or contentment.

Many people grow up not knowing who they are or what they want to be. Over time, our wants, desires, and needs change. When I was 6, I wanted to be a lawyer and when middle school came around and I was informed that becoming a lawyer involved Social Studies I quickly changed my mind.

In high school, I was torn between being a hair stylist/makeup artist and psychologist. Totally different, yet similar. I wanted to make people feel good.

If I can be real with ya’ll for a moment…my true passion was wanting to be a housewife! Yep, you got that right! Now there is a difference and people often get confused when I say that. I didn’t want to be a stay at home mom, I wanted to be a housewife. I love the idea of being home – cooking, cleaning, and working on my side hustle but also having the opportunity to get my kids from school and participate in as many school activities of my choosing. As we know, this isn’t happening YET! I’m believing in the power of the yet because one day I will be able to do this.

My life has taken on several different paths but all of them lead to one thing being my own boss! For now, I work in an office and I love it. I have freedom and flexibility not to mention the pay is great. It’s Monday – Friday and I’m off in time to spend time with my children.

I say all of that to say, where are you? Are you doing things that make you happy? Are you fulfilled in your job or are you working for a paycheck? We’ve all been there – paycheck = bills paid! I like to be believe that there is always more that we could be doing. We can take ourselves to the next level. I have set a few goals for myself and I’m determined to achieve them.

My first is growing my online presence. I love creating, I may not be the best but there is so much to learn and we all have to start somewhere.

Second, I would like to get involved with some advocacy work. I want to reach teens before they become teen parents! It’s hard, been there, done that and have the kids to prove it.

I’m currently working behind the scenes to make some of that happen so fingers crossed, you’ll see this face one day and remember you knew me, lol.

What steps are you taking to achieve your goals? Do you have any? The current place we’re in is ONLY temporary - if you believe!