Building Better Mental Health

The entire month of May is dedicated to mental health awareness! Maintaining a healthy state of mind is essential to your overall health and well-being. Taking care of your mental health is more important than ever, especially with more than 50 million Americans struggling with mental health issues.

We all face challenges in life that can impact us mentally. Your mental health status influences how you feel, think, and behave in your day-to-day life. It can also affect your ability to overcome challenges, build relationships, cope with stress and bounce back from life’s setbacks.

Maintaining strong mental health does not mean you lack mental health struggles. Becoming emotionally and mentally steady is more than being free of anxiety, depression or other psychological issues. Mental strength means possessing positive traits and adopting healthy and effective coping mechanisms.

Whether you’re looking to cope with a specific mental health problem, handle your emotions better or feel more positive and energetic, there are plenty of ways to take control of your mental health. Take a look at these five tips for building better mental health below:

1. Share your feelings

Talking through your thoughts and feelings with someone you trust can be extremely helpful. Releasing emotions can lead to a calmer mind. Try journaling if you aren’t ready to confide in those close to you. Getting your thoughts out and onto paper can release negativity and stress that is weighing you down mentally.

2. Take care of your body

Physical health is strongly linked to mental health. Being active can change your mindset while improving your health. When you are physically active, your endorphins increase, which can, in turn, reduce stress and anxiety. Regular exercise will improve your mood while decreasing your depression.

3. Value yourself

Treat yourself with kindness and respect. Put yourself first and make your mental health a priority. Work on building your self-confidence and your self-esteem. It’s essential to become comfortable and confident with yourself. Gaining confidence will lead to less stress and uncertainty. Take time to do the things you love that bring you joy to boost your mood.

4. Stay mindful

Pay attention to your feelings and reactions to people and your surroundings; work on identifying what are triggers and how you respond to them. Try meditating, mindfulness or prayer. These mental relaxation exercises can improve your state of mind and your outlook on life. Calming your mind can help you mentally de-stress. Being mindful enables you to see things clearly.

5. Manage stress and anxiety

Stress is unavoidable, but you can find ways to practice healthy coping skills to deal with it effectively. You can remove yourself from the situation and clear your mind by taking a walk. Try listening to upbeat music to improve your mood. Remember that laughter is the best medicine. Laughing can ease your mind and reduce stress.

When your mental health is robust, you can bounce back quicker from adversity and stress. This ability is called resilience. When you become emotionally and mentally resilient, you gain the tools for coping with stressful situations while remaining positive. The key is to stay focused and flexible in both good times and bad. Mastering resilience builds confidence and creates certainty.

Mental health awareness month reminds us that those with mental health issues deserve understanding, care, and compassion. Now is the perfect time to focus on building better mental health while finding hope, healing, and fulfillment for a healthier mind.

For more on mental health check out our Ambassador Brittney Moses on the latest episode of the Mental Health and Faith Podcast here: https://mental-health-a-closer-look.blubrry.net/21-mental-wellness-with-brittney-moses/