Today, I want to share my best 5 ways to maximize your mental health. With dedication and work, it can be done.
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All for one and one for……. Me? I’m just gonna say it straight up, we’re too focused on the self. And whist there are times when placing oneself as a priority is necessary, is it always necessary? In my view the answer is, no! Here let me explain.
Firstly, we all need to take time for ourselves, we can run on empty therefore, rest is required. This is especially true of people living with a mental health condition. In fact, some are so debilitated by their mental illness, they must customize their lives. Trust me, uprooting one’s life all in the name of coping with the world, is a frustrating venture.
While you need to make time for yourself, willingly cutting yourself off from your community is not always wise. Remember, what feels right, isn’t necessarily the right thing to do. For example, many of us are tired after work; many still, won’t go to the gym because they feel they are too beat to do so.
Want to preview my new book, The Road To Mental Wellness? Check out the preview down below
However, working out, heck, exercise of any kind can do wonders for our mental health. So, while you may be rundown, a good two weeks of solid exercise and you will feel better. See, we want to Netflix and chill, but it’s better to get on the treadmill. In this respect, we must do what’s best for us.
In this example, it clearly highlights what’s best for us. Yet, we do the opposite. That said, it may be worth investing your time and energy into other ways to maximize your wellness. Whether you join a yoga class or or a book club, don’t fall what traps you in your isolation.
Here are 5 ways to do help yourself and the world around you that will maximize your mental health.
1. Re-establish connection
Sadly, we live in a time where we need not lean on one another for survival. That’s a good thing – to a degree. But and this is a biggie, we have yet to be able to move away from relying on emotional connections. This is one factor, so I believe, that has driven the mental health epidemic through the roof. We need someone, we need each other! and again, it doesn’t matter if we feel like we would rather be alone, we can’t do that all the time and be healthy.
Of course, there are exceptions but overall, we thrive knowing that we can have mutually supportive relationships. So, reach out. Don’t forget, you can set the tone depending on your level of tolerance. Just be sure that your connections are built on give and take, not take, take, and hide.
2. Volunteer or help someone.
I have spent most of my life volunteering in one form or another and let me tell you, it’s amazing! What makes it so amazing is the deep sense of personal satisfaction that, making another person smile is worth all the effort. How does it work? Well, it works because in many instances, it may take as little as acknowledging another person’s existence. I have no doubt that if you do this, it will make your day to. It’s so powerful that you may end up saving a life. We never really know what someone’s going through, this could be just what they needed.
4. Random acts of kindness.
This is one of my favorite ones on my list. random acts of kindness work because of their pleasant shock value. I Remember one time several years ago, I was pulling out of a parking lot, heading to work. I just happen to catch out of the corner of my eye, an elder woman walking into the bottom part of a large sign, she hit her forehead and fell to the ground.
Seeing her go down, I quickly pulled over and rendered her assistance. Poor lady had opened her forehead, blood running down her nose. I asked, “Do you want me to take you to the hospital?” She responded with, “oh, would you be a dear and do that for me?” Obviously stunned from the knock to her head, I guided her to my car, helped her get in and made sure she was seen at the ER.
What was so amazing to me about this was, how grateful she was. “God bless you she said, and I headed off to work. I remember feeling so happy that I was there to help her. Additionally, I felt happier knowing that a doctor was seeing her. God knows how long she would have laid there in the mud, invisible because of the dark. I had one of the best shifts of my life that night.
So, what are you waiting for, try it? It does wonders for one’s mental health.
5. Self-care.
A balanced selfcare program can help you help others and thus find more connections and more joy! I say balanced because if you use selfcare as an excuse to avoid everything and everyone, you’re not healing. Quite the opposite, you are stewing. Remember, moving down the road to mental wellness, requires action. Now, self-care with the intent to getting back to living, is wonderful. I like to think of it as pacing myself whist doing the following:
- Clean diet
- Exercise
- Forced socialization
- Rest – learning when to take a break
- Be available for hobbies/friends/family.
- Practice gratitude.
- Sleep
A healthier you, equals a healthier mind, and a healthier mind, builds resilience; extremely helpful for one who wants to help others or reconnect with people they care for.
Self-care is important but be aware
So, there you have it, the 5 ways to maximize your mental health, at least those things that I find most helpful. Perhaps they can help you too?
- “How to Build Resilience for Better Mental Health”
- 10 of the best ways to reduce stress
- 10 signs that your new relationship is off to a healthy start.
- 10 signs you’re a highly sensitive person.
- 10 Signs your mental health is improving
- 10 Tips for Reducing Overthinking
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