Mental health awareness month is a special moment in the year for us to self-reflect on where we are in our lives, how far we have progressed, and how we would like to proceed as we move forward through life.
With our mental health and well-being at the forefront, we must take these moments to provide the care we need and deserve for ourselves, lead happier lives, and positively impact our community.
For this reason, I have provided five tips that I used to improve my mental well-being and transform my life.
1. Tackle Your Hardships With A Different Perspective
Life, by design, is meant to be challenging so you can become the person you want to be. Whether you are pursuing your dream job, trying to achieve a robust physique, or want to bring your dream project to life, the best things in life often do not come with ease.
Sometimes, the path to your goal may be longer because of its scope or because your current circumstances hold you back from achieving your full potential.
When we wake up, we can choose to live with the pain of pursuing those goals or the pain of regret because we have put our dreams to the side.
The difficulties we face can be overwhelming, but they can provoke action that instils the changes we need to transform ourselves and create the life we want.
Instead of wondering if you can overcome an obstacle, shift your mindset by questioning how you can overcome it, devise the best strategy, and put the plan into action, so you can smash your goals and continue moving forward.
2. Surround Yourself With Positivity
Your support system can be monumental or detrimental to your growth and success. You must, above all else, prioritise yourself and your energy.
Preserve your space so you feel supported and nurtured to be the best version of yourself by those around you. Be aware of those you keep close to and remove yourself from any toxic environment when you sense the people around you are not sincere.
By doing so, you will preserve your positive energy and will be in a much more peaceful headspace.
3. Practice Gratitude
Our minds, by instinct, focus on our wants and needs, which can make us approach life from a position of lack. When we view our lives from this position, we consistently overlook the blessings and gifts we already have around us because we focus on the things we do not have, which will attract the same energy that we do not need in our lives.
To practice gratitude, begin your day by focusing on five things you are grateful for. These five things could be as simple as having food to eat, having a healthy body, or even just waking up to see a new day.
This tool also effectively shifts your mood when you are upset or sad because being grateful is a positive emotion. By focusing on what you have, you approach life from a stance of abundance which will attract more blessings into your life.
4. Change Your Daily Habits
Too often in life, we get caught up in our daily, repetitive routines and forget that our potential as human beings is limitless. Instead of remaining in your confined comfort zone and living a monotonous lifestyle, try something new each week or even every other day.
New things could be as simple as spending the day at the park, surrounded by nature, treating yourself to a restaurant you have not been to, or incorporating more whole foods into your diet.
To acquire different results and live the life you have always wanted, you must be willing to go beyond your comfort zone and try doing activities you currently do not do to provide the results you are looking for.
5. Incorporate Fitness Into Your Life
Fitness effectively tackles symptoms associated with mental health illnesses, including anxiety, depression, and Alzheimers.
Even simple calisthenic workouts of 5-10 minutes are beneficial for your health because fitness assists with mood regulation, cognitive function, building confidence, and boosting your self-esteem.
Once you commit to improving your lifestyle through fitness, your perspective on life will transform, and you’ll acquire the tools to improve the quality of your life.