Mental health is such an important aspect of overall wellness. Many people underestimate the effect that it can have on our lives. When you are struggling, it can feel lonely and incredibly challenging. You deserve the opportunity to get back to enjoying everything that life has to offer rather than being in a state of stress or sadness.
While it is not always easy to adjust your mindset and achieve better mental health, sometimes the smallest changes can make a big difference. You can form new habits that promote self-care and help bring you out of the negative space that your mind is currently occupying.
Some of these practices may not suit your personality or may not be enough to completely reverse all of the negative feelings. But maybe they can serve as a simple starting point to shifting your mindset to be more positive this year. Here are a few small steps that you can take to adjust your mindset going forward.
Commit to Meditation
Life can move at an incredibly fast pace, and because we are used to it, we may not even realize that it is slowly destroying us. Sometimes, the best cure for poor mental health is a simple break from the breakneck speed of your typical day. There are plenty of things that you can do to take a break from the frenetic pace, but one practice that could be highly beneficial is meditation. If this is a new concept for you, it is easy to find some guided meditations on Youtube or in a podcast format. These exercises allow you to focus on simple things like breathing and closing your eyes. Maybe you can even hear the sounds of nature during this restful period. The purpose is to give your mind a break from the go go go attitude that can be difficult to ignore.
Declutter to De-Stress
While the reason for high stress levels could be obvious like a demanding job or parenting young children, sometimes the cause is a little more subtle. The condition of your home or workspace can often play a role in being stressed out, whether you realize it or not. Maybe you could use a fresh start by decluttering. Once you have cleaned up and organized the spaces you occupy, you might discover a measure of instant relief that you didn’t know was possible. Start small if you have to and consider getting rid of possessions that you no longer use. Put items in storage that won’t be needed for a long time rather than leaving them out to add to the clutter. Organize and clean your living space to experience the benefits of decluttering.
Healthy Steps Each Morning
Physical health can be a challenge when life feels chaotic. Maybe you don’t have time to head to the gym or plan a healthy meal. The key to prioritizing health is to start each day with small steps that promote wellness. You could take an antioxidant supplement with your breakfast to provide some additional nutrients for your cells. Go for a short, ten-minute walk before starting your day to experience some calm. Make yourself a fruit smoothie rather than a bowl of cereal to get started on the right foot. These small steps can put you in a positive mindset that is conscious of health for the rest of the day.
Start Journaling
Reflection can be one of the most powerful tools for dealing with mental health struggles. Many people will turn to therapists who will help them talk things out and get stuff off of their chest, which can lighten the load. Maybe you are not ready for a step that big. A minor solution could be starting a journal to support your mental health. At the end of each day, or each week if you want to start slowly, take some time to reflect on the events of that period and how you felt about them. Write down everything that pops into your head. Your failures, your accomplishments, your feelings, everything is fair game to be recorded in your journal. Putting words to your thoughts can help identify emotions and hone in on what is causing your mental health struggles. It also gives you memories to look back on for motivation. Buy yourself a journal and start writing to see how it may shift your mindset going forward.
Take Things One Step at a Time
When you want to change your mindset, it can be tempting to try adopting a large number of new habits at once to achieve that shift. However, this can overwhelm your mind and may even worsen the problem. It is better to take things one step at a time. Try meditating a couple of times a week for a while. Then, consider cleaning up the house. A few weeks after the cleaning is completed, see if you can start changing your morning routine a little bit to focus on small healthy steps. Later on, you can buy a journal and start reflecting. Changing your mindset to a more positive state can take time, so introduce new habits gradually so you don’t become overwhelmed.
