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. 

5 Ways to Feel Better About Yourself

Everyone should feel good about themselves. When you truly believe in yourself, you can achieve pretty much anything you put your mind to. 

Feeling good about yourself makes life happier, not to mention easier. If you do not currently feel great about yourself, but you want to, here are a few ways to achieve that.

1. Focus on the physical

It is not shallow to want to look your best. When you look good, you tend to feel good too. So, if you have been neglecting your appearance for a bit, start thinking about what you can do to change that whether it’s a new haircut, a handful of teeth whitening sessions, or hitting the gym to get your booty back in shape. Once you start to look better, you will almost certainly start to feel better too. 

2. Make a list of your achievements

When you are feeling down on yourself, it’s easy to feel like you’re a failure who’s never done anything good,m but that almost certainly is not true. So, sit down with a pen and paper and start really thinking about your life and what you've done. From graduating college to helping the homeless not down all of the good thighs you have achieved in your life, and remind yourself of them regularly. You will soon start to feel better about yourself if you do. 

3. Practice positive thinking

People who don’t like themselves tend to be negative thinkers. They go through everything that is wrong with them over and over in their brains, never thinking about the good things in life. Something that can help you change this, and start feeling better about yourself if it is a problem you have, is meditation.

When you meditate, you learn how to minimize negative thoughts and maximize positive ones. Focus on challenging every negative thought you have about yourself with a good one, and it won’t be long before you’re loving who you are again. 

4. Take up a new hobby

You might be wondering how taking up a new hobby can help you feel better about yourself. It’s pretty simple really; not only does taking up a new hobby give you something positive to focus on, but as you learn new skills and start to excel, you will see that you are capable of doing good things in your life and this will give you a real confidence boost. Try something that is challenging, but not too difficult, to get you started, and have fun!

5. Spend time with people who love you

Spending time with people who love and care for you is a great way to feel better about yourself because, if you are someone who is worthy of love, you can’t be that bad, right? You are loved for a reason and you need to remember that!

As you can see, there are lots of things you can do to start to feel better today, but you need to get out there and make things happen! So what are you waiting for?

Valentine's Day | Love on YOU

It’s ALMOST Valentine’s Day!

We all know this can be a bittersweet holiday for some. Valentine’s is all about L-O-V-E some people hate it because they are single BUT I have a little secret for you… You don’t have to be in a relationship to love on yourself! Don’t have a partner? Spend time taking care of you!

Remember you don’t need anyone to make you happy. A person should add to your happiness not be it! This year…I will spend time loving on my babies. I might even get my girls from school early. (Shhh…don’t tell them)

 My dad always bought my sister and I chocolates and gave us a card for the occasion. I’ve tried to keep up with the tradition but only one of my kids enjoy chocolate sooooo I have to find another tasty treat!

Nevertheless, I will spend this holiday in love; loving myself and loving on those who love me.

How will spend your Valentine’s Day?