Three Actionable Things You Can Do to Boost Your Mental Health
When you’re having a poor mental health day, sometimes it can be really hard to even consider how to make yourself feel better, let alone actually act on those ideas. It’s vital to have some things to fall back on that you know will help boost your mood when times get tough.
It’s also important to have a range of options so that you can pick the most appropriate one for how you’re feeling on the day, or adjust to accommodate for the time you have. Taking these steps to care for yourself will give you the space to hopefully begin to feel better. We take a look at three starting points for you to focus on.
Practice mindfulness
Stress can cause our minds to race, usually as a result of a specific event or reason. As a result, your heart rate will likely rise, and your breathing speed may increase. However, sometimes, anxiety can kickstart the same reaction, but when you’re not necessarily under threat. You end up feeling constantly over-alert, and your thoughts might spiral.
Practicing mindfulness can be an excellent tool to learn in order to gain control of your breathing and slow your heart rate down. It teaches you to bring your mind back to the present moment, rather than worrying about what is going to or could happen. It can also help you accept and sit with the feelings you are experiencing, rather than trying to push them away.
Exercise
According to the Mental Health Foundation, even 10 minutes of brisk walking can increase positive mood, so you don’t need to be into running marathons to reap the benefits of exercise on your mental health. If the weather allows, heading out into nature can also be a powerful way to get a change of scenery and remind you of the beauty of the world around you.
If you’re not up to walking, or prefer to stay inside, why not try a gentle yoga class, or an online workout? Yoga is great for slowly getting you moving, or a group class can be helpful for interacting with others or even just listening and gaining some of their energy.
Talk to someone
Make sure to share how you are feeling with someone, whether that’s in-person, online, vocally or through writing. If you’re often feeling worried or directionless, it might be helpful for you to talk to a professional, such as a therapist or a life coach.
Typically, a therapist will look to your past experiences to try and find out why you might be reacting or feeling a certain way. They will listen and analyze your experiences to help you better understand yourself and your feelings.
In comparison, a life coach is focused on your present and future, and is action-oriented, helping you to take control of your life and shape it in the direction that you want it to go. A good life coach will empower you to rediscover your own strengths and abilities.
This guest post is written by Holly Powell.