Yesterday (October the 10th) played host to ‘#WorldMentalHealthDay’, a day created to bring awareness to the unfortunately very common issues surrounding mental health and well-being. People utilise this day to share their stories, journeys, inspiring quotes and aims to destigmatise the conversation surrounding mental health. Whilst ‘#WorldMentalHealthDay’ is a wonderful platform to open the discussion about mental health, it’s important to remember that the discussion is not only valid on this one day a year; mental health issues arise all year round and the best way to destigmatise the topic is to continuously share stories, experiences, positive affirmations and helpful advice to anyone who may be struggling. Inspired by yesterday’s awareness posts, I thought that I’d create a little top ten guide to a healthier mind to share some of my own personal tips for better mental well-being. Feel free to return to this guide if at any point you feel you need it; it’s a safe space here where you are welcomed and loved!
1. Don’t be Afraid to ask for Help
This is probably the most important piece of advice I could possibly give, however, I understand that it’s not one that’s easy to follow. Being vulnerable is scary, admitting that you need support can be daunting, but nothing is more daunting than sitting alone with your negative thoughts and letting them spiral and build up until you can no longer take it. I see this statement worded in various ways among social media but what I’m about to write is the honest truth ‘people would rather hear about your struggles than listen to a eulogy’, and I can’t stress that enough. Any struggle that you are possibly facing is temporary and even reaching out to one person: a friend, family member, teacher, GP or an anonymous support hotline can mark the beginning of a journey out of suffering, and through doing this you’ll also learn that you are not alone and this battle that you’re fighting can be won.
2. Grab Yourself a Notebook
Journaling is a great way to keep your mind from spiraling. If you ever find yourself taken over by anxious thoughts, simply just write them down – it doesn’t even have to be legible or make sense. Getting your thoughts on to paper can release them from the mind, you could even go a step further and shred or burn them to really let go of what’s holding you down and free your mind for a little while.
3. Ditch the Scale
Your worth is not a number. Don’t get caught up trying to obtain a goal that really doesn’t have much meaning or relevance. Eat to nourish your mind and body, exercise for strength and flexibility. It’s perfectly okay to indulge and going to the gym is not a necessity, a simple ten-minute walk or some yoga in your bedroom can be enough to get your endorphins flowing and get you feeling good. Try to focus on how you feel rather than how you look and through doing that your confidence in yourself will begin to show up and shine through.
4. Change your Social Media Habits
Whilst social media is such a massive part of many of our livelihoods; it’s not always the safest environment to be on. There’s constant promotion of fad diets, people showing only the best parts of their lives, airbrushed skin and photo-shopped bodies. I don’t believe that we should solely blame the celebrities and influencers for tweaking their bodies though, as we have to ask why they feel the need to do that themselves; there’s clearly an insecurity there too that unfortunately gets projected onto us as followers. Changing my social media habits was a big help for my mental well-being, instead of following people who’s image and lives made me feel insecure and worthless, I started following people who inspire me: artists, small business, those who have overcome struggles – it truly makes a big difference.
5. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
Not only is it easy to find ourselves comparing our lives to those on social media, it happens in reality too. On one hand I will always be so happy for my friend’s successes and achievements, but I’d be lying if I said I don’t often question my own achievements in comparison. Why have I not found my dream job? Why aren’t my grades as good as my friend’s? Why this? Why that? What I try and tell myself now when these questions flood, is a reminder that we’re not the same and everyone’s timelines are different, life often hands us varying opportunities; we have to just keep going and realise that our time will come. Just remember what you’re doing everything for.
6. Take a Break (have a KitKat)
Gotta love a KitKat but taking a break is what’s important here. If you find yourself overwhelmed and overworked it’s imperative that you take some time away, even if you only have a spare five minutes, that’s enough time to do a little meditation, read a few pages of a book or sit outside with a tea. You’ll then be able to come back to whatever it is you’re doing with fresh eyes and a new perspective; our minds can enter tunnel vision if we focus on one thing for too long.
7. Surround Yourself with Loving and Supportive People
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realised that having lots and lots of friends is not synonymous to happiness. While I make it my aim to be kind and friendly to all, and I love being social and talking to new people, I no longer make a habit of trying to get everyone to like me; it can be exhausting. I have a couple of lovely close-knit groups of friends and we all support each other, aren’t afraid to sometimes correct each other, we’ll often jokingly be insulting but ultimately, we’re they’re for each other to talk to, to cry to and to get through things together. I know that I’m lucky as not everyone manages to connect so easily, social anxiety can make it difficult to approach people and being in a situation where there’s not many like-minded people around you can also make it hard. My advice here is to try and find a hobby or a niche Facebook group where you’ll connect with people with different lives, but similar interests and you might find yourself making some friends that you’ll cherish for a lifetime.
8. Exercise for the Soul
I touched on this earlier when I talked about ditching the scale, but exercise can really make you feel good. I’m not saying you need to run on the treadmill for hours on end or lift weights everyday (unless that’s what you enjoy) as that can be quite overwhelming to some. If working out isn’t your thing try dancing around your room, a quiet yoga session or a walk around the block. Small steps can release your endorphins and consequently improve mood. One thing to keep in mind though, exercising should be about making you feel healthy and empowered; it shouldn’t feel like a chore.
9. Get a Good Night Sleep
This is something I struggle with massively, but I’ve found ways to help me drift off and wake up feeling refreshed and revitalised rather than feeling groggy and unenergized. Lavender oil on my pillow really gets me relaxed and an eye mask helps keep any light out. I know this one doesn’t work for everyone, but I swear by listening to podcasts as they help me switch off and drift off!
10. Finally, Give Yourself some Credit
Everything you’ve got through up to this point is a reminder of your strength. Whether you’ve written a 5000-word essay or only just had the energy to brush your teeth, you’ve made it through the day and that’s something you should be proud of.
Just want to clarify that these are just my own personal bits of advice and if you’re really struggling it might be worth seeking help from a professional. I’ve linked some important websites below in case they’re needed. Take care of yourself!
and you can find more here.
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