Do you struggle to communicate how you’re feeling?
Are you lacking resources to help you with anxiety?
We’ve all been there.
Even people who claim to have strong mental health still have their bad days and face disappointments. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t work towards stronger mental health.
Start building a daily routine that helps improve your mental wellness.
Yes, mental wellness is a thing.
Wellness is defined as “an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life. Wellness is more than being free from illness, it is a dynamic process of change and growth”.
Prioritizing your mental wellness is what you leads you to strong mental health.
Just like if you were training to run a marathon, every little thing you do helps increase your stamina and performance – running daily, drinking lots of water, getting enough nutrients and protein to sustain your body.
The same goes for your mental health.
You need to nurture your body and mind in order to achieve strong mental health.
If you have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder and are actively taking medication and seeing a therapist, there are still many practices and activities that you can do to improve your mental wellness.
Often building a daily routine that puts wellness first is one of the best ways to strengthen your mental health.
Building your wellness routine
Here are some questions you can ask yourself to build a healthy, daily routine that improves your mental wellness:
- When you feel anxious or upset, do you struggle with shifting your mood because you can’t think positively? Start journaling daily. Record all the good things that happen in a week. Start each day reading them and reflecting on them. Better yet, start every morning by writing down something you are grateful for.
- Is there a specific person or group of people you turn to whenever you are feeling low? Fix a time every week to see them so you always have something to look forward to.
- Are your days so full that you don’t have enough time to do the things you love? Keep track of your week with an agenda or calendar app to see where you can make time for activities that bring you joy, like dancing, painting or writing.
- Is there a certain point of the day that seems to trigger anxious or upsetting thoughts? Schedule in this time to get outside to enjoy fresh air and nature. Use this time to reflect and focus on your breath.
- Do you often get sucked into the social media wormhole and find it impacts your mood? Schedule a set amount of time everyday where you turn your phone off and avoid the distraction and upsetting feelings that social media can often trigger.
- Do you find you are gaining bad eating habits due to job stress? Start putting time aside every Sunday to prep your meals for the week. Focus on choosing healthier and more nutritious options for your three daily meals.
Building your wellness community
Do you wish you had a community of people around you that just “get” what you’re going through?
Finding support from people who understand helps you see the bigger picture: you’re not alone.
Access a support group or social activity that engages people experiencing the same feelings as you. Connecting with like minded individuals can be such a relief when you feel alone.
Are you:
A veteran looking to connect with like-minded vets?
Dealing with a history of depression or bipolar disorder?
A parent of a child with a psychiatric disability and want to connect with parents with similar lived experiences?
At MHA, we offer a variety of support and social activities that will nurture your mental wellness.
Do you feel like you’re not in control of your mental wellness and need one-on-one support?
Contact our Front Door Services and we’ll connect you to a mental health counselor in the Hudson Valley.
