Mental health is a troubling subject that affects a large part of the population, yet often times remains ignored or misunderstood. While mental health issues can be thought of as only affecting those in the extremes, many of us struggle with our mental health without even being aware. In order to reduce the chances of developing a serious mental health condition, it is important to develop strategies and habits that promote emotional well-being. In this article, we will discuss the various strategies for maintaining good mental health and of preventing mental health conditions.
1. Finding Resilience Through Self-Awareness
The capacity to maintain a mental attitude that allows us to handle stress and difficulties without succumbing to anxiety or depression is something we all strive for. Self-awareness is the first step on the road to finding resilience.
At its core, being self-aware is to be mindful and honest, making a concerted effort to understand our own thoughts, emotions, behaviours and reactions. Here are four key areas that can help you become more self-aware:
- Paying attention to triggers: Identify what is causing you to feel anxious or overwhelmed in certain situations, and why. Understanding our internal responses can help us gain better control of our emotional states.
- Listening to your inner dialogue: The conversations we have with ourselves are often negative and damaging. Seeking introspection on our thoughts, we can learn to recognise these unhealthy patterns and replace them with healthy, affirming statements.
- Examining our values: Becoming aware of our values can help us gain a sense of identity, as well as providing us with clarity of purpose in our lives.
- Mindful self-compassion: Being patient, respectful and kind to ourselves can help us create a healthier relationship with our own emotions.
When we are more mindful of our inner discourse, we can build resilience through practice. Practicing self-awareness can increase self-esteem, giving us the courage to challenge negative influences in what can sometimes be a hostile or unsupportive world. By taking control of our internal thoughts, we can more effectively manage our emotions in the face of external pressures.
Fully engaging in the present moment can enable us to practice mindfulness, lifting our awareness to a higher level. Listening to our body and our environment can help us achieve clarity. Self-awareness can help us release tension in our body and quiet the racing of our mind.
As we become more in tune with ourselves, we can gain a full understanding of our own unique nature – allowing us to become more comfortable in our own skin. Ultimately becoming self-aware will give us the tools to boost our resilience – providing us with a robust capacity to respond to life’s challenges and be our best selves.
2. Managing Stress with Healthy Habits
Life as an adult can be a rollercoaster. That’s why it’s so important to take time out and find ways to reduce stress.
Practice the Art of Self-Care
When it comes to keeping on top of your mental health, self-care plays an important role. Small acts like going for a stroll in the park, having a bubble bath or reading a book can not only lift your mood but help you reconnect with what is important to you.
Make a Change
It’s easy to fall into a stressful routine. To help break it, make a change in some part of your day. Whether it’s scheduling in a nap or swapping a gym class for a yoga session, it can reenergize your stress-filled life.
Get Creative
There are lots of creative and fun activities that can help to take your mind off daily worries and work-related stress. Try drawing, playing an instrument, writing a story with your favourite characters. Taking part in creative pursuits can help you relax and unwind.
Natural Alternatives
Why not try natural alternatives to help reduce levels of stress? Aromatherapy is a great way to give your body and mind a relaxing treat. With natural scents like lavender and jasmine, it can reduce stress and help you feel more relaxed.
Eat Right
Eating healthy and maintaining a balanced diet can have a positive effect on your stress levels. Incorporate foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and probiotics into your meals to help reduce stress hormones.
Make Time for Friends and Family
Quality time spent with family and friends can help manage stress levels. Socializing with them may provide support in overcoming life’s challenges. After all, talking it out can help with stress.
3. Cultivating Connections for Emotional Support
Though no two people have the same experience, everyone needs emotional support in their life to feel connected, safe and reassured. Here are some key tips on connecting your emotions to those of others:
Establish meaningful relationships: It’s easy to take on surface level friendships, but putting in more effort to cultivate deeper relationships allows for a stronger bond between people. Reach out to an old friend or family member, or even make new ones. Ask yourself – what kind of support do I want from my relationships? It can range from having someone to talk to, rely on, and simply celebrating a milestone with.
Practice emotional intelligence: Emotional intelligence or EQ is understanding the emotions of yourself and others. EQ gives us the ability to empathize with others, self-regulate and create meaningful relationships. If you want to understand how someone else is feeling, put yourself in their shoes. Show empathy and be mindful of the feelings of the people in your life.
Create an emotional support system: Set boundaries to decide who should be part of your core support circle. Let your close friends know the kind of emotional support you need and receive from them. It could also be helpful to create a well of resources like online discussion boards, therapy groups or fellow employees.
Talk it out: It’s OK to express your deepest feelings, and it’s also ok to be heard. Don’t hold back and tell your close friends how you feel, if you are uncomfortable with in-person conversations try video calls. Stating what you need and how your friends can help makes it easier to share with them.
Walk away: It’s okay and necessary to make an exit if your friends can’t provide the right emotional support. Respectfully let them know when you’re not feeling heard or comfortable in the friendship.
Pay attention to body language:
Your physical actions can communicate what you’re feeling which can be hard to verbalize. Speak up about how you’re feeling and listen to what your body may be trying to tell you.
By working on emotional intelligence and having honest conversations with close friends and family, you’ll be able to build long-lasting and meaningful relationships that can provide emotional support.
4. Enhancing Emotional Well-being Through Spiritual Practices
The mind-body connection is a powerful one, and developing emotional wellness through spiritual practices can be profound. Here are four ways that spiritual practices can help you feel more connected to yourself and the world around you.
- Meditation:
- Meditation helps to clear the mind, reduce stress and anxious thoughts, and cultivate an inner state of peace. It gives you the space to move out of autopilot and connect to your innermost self.
- Yoga is an ancient practice, combining physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation. Practicing yoga can help to bring clarity to your emotions, creatively address challenges in life, and foster a sense of tranquility.
- Practicing a particular religion or spiritual tradition can bring a sense of deep spiritual connection to yourself, your faith, and the divine. Believing in something greater than yourself can foster feelings of love, peace, and security.
- Spending time in nature, whether in the city or in a remote place, can help you feel reconnected and more spiritually connected. Taking in the sights and sounds of the natural world can put things into perspective and give you a renewed sense of awe and wonder.
Yoga:
Religion:
Nature:
Engaging in spiritual practices is a powerful way to develop emotional wellbeing and create a more meaningful life. These four practices can enhance your body-mind connection and foster feelings of love, joy, and inner peace.
Mental health conditions can be stressful for individuals and their families. But there are ways to reduce the burden and prevent them from occurring or becoming worse. By taking the time to build healthy habits and attitudes, as well as monitoring any changes in behavior or emotional state, you can foster your own resilience and maintain emotional well-being. So remember—investing in your emotional well-being is worth the effort.
