Take Action for Your Mental Health
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and a great time to take action to address your mental wellness. Having a good state of mental and emotional wellbeing can help us to cope with everyday stressors as well as more difficult situations as they arise. The good news is that we can take small daily/weekly actions to help support our mental wellbeing. We are all different so some of these steps might feel easier than others. Start where you are a try a few things to discover what works best for you and your schedule.
- Spend time in nature.
- Time in nature has been shown to uplift mood, reduce stress, and even increase levels of concentration. Take a short walk during your lunch break or even get a houseplant if you can’t consistently go outside.
- Connect with loved ones.
- Connection, particularly with those we care about, has been shown to reduce stress. Sharing your experiences (good and bad) and supporting others can help you feel happier and less isolated when you’re struggling. Send a quick text or call someone you haven’t talked to in a while. Keeping in touch can improve your health.
- Take care of your body.
- Our body and mind are not separate, so taking care of our body helps support a healthy mind. Eat healthy foods, drink plenty of water, get enough sleep and try to move often. Build small habits into your daily routines to support both mind and body.
- Get creative.
- If you have not done arts and crafts since grade school, now is the perfect time to draw, write, knit, or even dance. Expressing ourselves in creative ways can help build emotional resilience.
- Relax.
- Rest is not something that must be earned. Find time each day to wind down through some breathing exercises, a warm bath, or listening to your favorite music. Allow yourself to disconnect (even for a moment) from the tasks of the day.
There are so many ways to support our mental health. Start with something that sounds both doable and interesting. Start small and figure out what works best for you. Taking even one action can help to improve your mental health and your life.
