October 10th is International mental health day.
World Mental Health day is observed every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health. And in these times, when nothing can be taken for granted, it is important to talk about mental health.
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices. This means that good mental health is characterized by a person's ability to fulfill a number of key functions and activities, including the ability to learn, the ability to feel, express and manage a range of positive and negative emotions, the ability to form and maintain good relations with others.
As said, it is important to take care good care of our mental help to cope with everything coming our way and vice versa. There are numerous spreadsheets, videos, vlogs, podcasts, infographics ... with suggestions on how to take care of ourselves. We created our own.
1 – ROUTINE
A morning routine will help us start the day in a positive way, avoiding the unnecessary stress of everything that needs to be taken care of at the start of every day. A calming night routine will most likely keep us away from screens and prepare us for a good night's rest.
Other routines are also good to cope with stress or just to unwind a bit.
2 – GRATITUDE JOURNALING
Grab a notebook and a pen and take a couple of minutes every evening before going to bed and write down one, two, three ... or as many things you are grateful for. Try not to repeat the same ones every time. You might be pleasantly surprised when you will have them all written down.
3 – CUT YOUR ONLINE TIME AND READ INSTEAD
We tend to spend a lot of time in front of different screens for longer periods of time every day and this is slowly, but surely affecting our health. Take some time in your day when you will not be holding a phone in your hands, but a book instead. You will feel good about it and your vocabulary will thank you.
4 – ORGANIZE
Sometimes tackling the junk drawer or a filled mailbox does wonders. When the environment around us is chaos, it can be difficult to feel in control.
5 – LEARN TO SAY NO
It is an art. And learning where your limits are, also when it comes to say no, is very important. Slowly you will see how the guilt will disappear and you will feel lighter and ready to take over the world if needed, Just because you will turn something or someone down, to have the time, do it your way or just be yourself.
6 – MAKE LISTS
Write list. Lots of them. Then feel the great feeling of crossing done things. It is something small, but oh, so satisfying. Even if the list consists of taking out the garbage and brushing your teeth, you will have a sense of accomplishment. Small steps will take you far, so write down a to-do list before going to bed in the evening and see how much faster you will fall asleep.
7 – TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Treat yourself with good food, a cup of tea or just with a nice good night skincare routine. Take the time to properly remove your make-up and wash your face. Exfoliate regularly and never forget to use a nourishing moisturizer to give your skin a treat.
There are many more ways on how to take care of your mental health. Never forget you are not the only one having certain issues and you should never be afraid to seek help; from a friend or at a professional. Mental illnesses should not be a taboo and something one should be ashamed of. Take care.
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