10 Tips to Improve Your Mental Health

2020 has been a rollercoaster of a year and the entire world has been affected. People have lost their loved ones, lost their jobs, and depression and anxiety are at an all-time high. It is more important than ever to think about the ways we can give our mental health a boost. Today, October 10th, 2020, is World Mental Health Day, a reminder that we need to take care of ourselves the best we can!

To highlight World Mental Health Day and general wellness, here are 10 tips to improve your mental health.

1. Treat yourself with the kindness and respect that you deserve. Our inner voice can be brutal; if you find that you are too self-critical take a step back and ask yourself if you would speak to a loved one the way you are speaking to yourself. Think of positive affirmations you can say to yourself to avoid negative self-talk.

2. Surround yourself with people who genuinely love and support you. Cut out anyone around you who doesn’t want the best for you. If someone is sending you bad vibes or looking at you with an evil eye, let them go. Your energy and your time is valuable, so if a person in your life makes you feel worse when you’re around them, that’s a sign they shouldn’t be in your life.

3. Take good care of your physical health. Go to the doctor and address any health issues you may be going through. Eat well and take a walk or exercise when you can. Cut out any bad habits such as smoking cigarettes or drinking an excessive amount of alcohol

4. Journal your feelings. Writing your emotions down is cathartic. Take 10 to 20 minutes to write down how you feel each day.

5. Express gratitude. Write down a few things you are grateful for each day. Or express gratitude to your loved ones who have been there for you by writing them a thank you note or sending a thank you text.

6. Get enough sleep! Lack of sleep is said to be linked with high rates of depression. Set a bedtime for yourself and stick with it as much as possible. If you have a hard time sleeping, check out the white noise and meditation music links here: http://labuenavibe.com/5-self-care-tips-you-can-do-right-now/

7. Become a volunteer in your hometown. You can look into food banks in your area where you can help package meals, volunteer to become a big brother or big sister to a child/teen near you who needs a positive influence in their life. Read about the big brothers big sisters program here https://www.bbbs.org/

8. Try a new hobby or take a class. Have you always wanted to learn how to play the guitar? Or maybe you just want to learn how to garden? Try doing this now! It’s the perfect time to find something new and fun to learn about

9. Practice meditation. A phone app like Headspace can guide you through this. Check out the app here: https://www.headspace.com/headspace-meditation-app

10. Get help. Seek a therapist in your area who can assist during any difficult times. If you are in the US and have health insurance call the number on the back of your insurance card and ask to speak with the behavioral health department. They can provide you with referrals to mental health therapists (usually Licensed Counselors, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists or Licensed Clinical Social Workers). If you don’t have health insurance you can go to a county agency in your area. You can also contact the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to speak with someone 24/7, 365 days a year. It’s free and confidential.