Taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health. Feeling grounded in your day to day life is an essential part of maintaining good mental health. Here are some simple, easy tips to get you started.
There is something that happens to our body and mind when we take a walk in nature. The fresh air that we breathe, the rustling that we hear, the wind or sunshine that we feel: they all wake our senses up. This creates a welcome break from our worrying. It gives us an opportunity to pause and reset our thought process, if we want to. A walk in the sun or nature releases serotonin in your body, which helps elevate your mood immediately. A mindful walk a day, keeps worries at bay.
When we are in the middle of a storm, it may seem like we are never going to get out of it. Our brains, which are hardwired with negativity bias, prevent us from looking at the good around us. We are therefore entrenched in a vicious circle of worries, depression and negativity. The solution is not necessarily to be positive at all times. It is to practice gratitude.
It is to take a step back from our miseries and objectively look at what we should be grateful for. This balance will help improve your mental health. It will give you hope even when it looks like there is nothing to be hopeful about. In the least, it will put you in a good mood for a few minutes a day. That is worth something, isn’t it? It doesn’t hurt that practicing gratitude regularly releases dopamine in your body, which is very important for good mental health.
3. Eat at least one healthy meal a day
In South India, we have a saying that says you are what you put in your body. There is a reason that our gut is called our second brain and is the headquarters of our immune system. If we want our mind to be healthy, fresh and energetic, our body has to feel these things first. So eating healthy food — especially fruits, vegetables and protein is very important indeed. Keeping our gut functioning well is one of the key elements to improving our mental health. So perhaps you can start by eating at least one healthy meal a day and build up from there.
4. Call a friend or family member every week
Speaking your mind, especially to someone you know who loves you can really help you clear your thoughts. Healthy relationships and the good feelings that come with them help release oxytocin in your body. This has a great impact on improving your mental health. It can be a good stress releaser too. It can even help you realise that you are not alone; both in the sense of having support as well as not being the only person with the troubles you have.
5. Take up a hobby
Pursuing any hobby, especially one that involves creative energy is a great form of therapy. Art, in particular, is a great tool to handle anxiety and improve your mental health. I’m sure you have been told this a lot. Just remember that you don’t have to go be great at a hobby for it to work. You can be absolute crap and it can still help you immensely to handle your anxiety.
I am a burned out international lawyer & mother with Fibromyalgia and anxiety, trying to re-discover my identity.
