No doubt the pandemic has been heavy for everyone. Some people have been able to let things have little impact and others have felt like the world is crushing them and really sent them down a spiral. Whichever your response has been, it is all okay. Some people held themselves up and others broke down. For a lot of people, it has exacerbated a variety of mental health conditions. Prioritizing your mental health is very important, no matter who you are. If the weight of your emotions is taking its toll on you, here are a few tips to help you shift out of it.
ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR FEELINGS The sooner you acknowledge your sad and negative feelings, the better are the chances of heading towards healing. Recognition leads to solution-based thinking.
NURTURE A GROWTH MINDSET You must have heard of the saying, "What you think, you become"? Adopt it as your mantra and use it to assist you in breaking free from the traditional victim attitude that hinders your recovery process.
SPARE SOME TIME FOR MEDITATION Spare just 15 minutes every single day and sit with your eyes closed at your favourite spot. Using mental images think of all the things you think can benefit you. This will realign your mind and help you fight depression more healthily.
BE MINDFUL OF THE BOUNTIES Try to remain mindful of the tiniest perks around you. This can range from the food you eat to the clothes you wear to the trusted fellows you have around you. It is very therapeutic and healing.
INDULGE IN SELF-CARE Prioritizing your likes and passions helps a great deal in beating depression and anxiety. Simply go out for a long walk, read books or just sit on your couch with a pack of popcorns and watch your favourite movie or season. This last oen requires a balance, if you are using tv to numb out and avoid the world, it is the opposite of self-care. The choices for self-care are unlimited, but the results are worthwhile.
REGULAR EXERCISE Regular physical exercise helps in taking all the energy out and calming the mind down. It indeed helps in reducing anxiety and depression.
RESTRAINING SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE Limit the use of social media as it causes anxiety and depression because of the fake glitz and glam people portray there. Social media creates a lot of comparison-itis which leads people to feeling empty inside and like their life will never quite be enough. Use it wisely and keep your mental health intact.
DO SOME ARTWORK Getting creativity and losing track of time in a art project is incredibly beneficial for your mind. Your mind benefits form being able to let go for a little while and getting you into Flow State.
ESTABLISH A HEALTHY SLEEP CYCLE Lack of sleep triggers depression or anxiety therefore make intentional efforts to establish a healthy sleep cycle of 6-8 hours every day. This will greatly help with your anxiety. Keep a consistent wake and sleep time to help this.
SEEK PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT Seek therapy when things get out of hand and you are not able to handle things on your own. A trained therapist will help you follow these steps more smoothly and easily. AS I have said in the past, there is absolutely no shame in seeking outside help and I think we need to normalize this. Talk about seeing a psychologist or coach the same as you talk about going to the doctor, physio or chiro, Take care of your mental body like you do your physical body.
In short, don't dismiss indicators of your mental health declining, including sadness, sobbing, rage, lack of energy, or mood changes. Sometimes things can just start to pile up on top of you and you need things to pull you back up. Start by acknowledging your feelings and taking action to help improve what is going on for you. What is one thing you can do this week to prioritize your mental health?