Care For Yourself
a platform dedicated to mental health
MENTAL HEALTH: WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT
Enjoying good mental health and well-being is the key to achieving successful living and happiness.
Mentally healthy individuals achieve more as they interact better with their surroundings, managing their relationships and different situations thrown at them efficiently. They sleep well and enjoy better physical health.
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Taking care of our mental health should be identified as one of our main priorities at all times. With the different tasks and challenges we face daily, maintaining mental well-being may appear difficult. But it really is not. All it takes is determination, courage and discipline.
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Common mental health concerns such as stress, anxiety and professional burnout can be addressed by developing and sustaining six simple habits.
The Six Steps to Mental Well-Being
1. Framing a positive Mindset
"Folks are usually as happy as they make their minds up to be" - Abraham Lincoln.
Our thoughts, feelings and behavior are all interlinked and as such, keeping a positive mindset is essential to maintain stable behaviors and interactions with our environment.
Negative thoughts and bad feelings may arise sometimes. They happen to all of us but none of us should settle with them.
Recognizing these negatives and their causes is the first step in positive thinking. The second step is to adopt a flexible thinking where the negative thoughts or feelings are converted to positives or opportunities. And the final and most important step is to act upon reflection and ask for help if needed.
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2. Focus on the Present
"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not come up yet. We have only today. Let us begin" - Mother Theresa
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Though past experiences and anticipating the future can provide valuable lessons and help us prepare for important decisions and actions, dwelling too much on the past and the future often causes unnecessary stress, anxiety, negative thoughts and feelings which only prevent us from moving forward.
What matters most is to make the most of the present by being mindful of our thoughts, feelings and the events occurring around us. Hence, we can enjoy better experiences with a broader perspective and better understanding of our environment.
3. Sleep well
"Sleep is God. Go Worship" - Jim Butcher
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Maintaining a regular and balanced sleep routine in the best possible environment improves our mood, concentration levels and even our physical fitness. Eventually, with good sleep we perform better at school, at work and become less prone to negative thoughts and feelings with changes in our social and physical environment.
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Some tips for a good sleep routine:
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sleep around the same time everyday as much as possible
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avoid exposure to screens (television, mobile phones, computers) for about an hour before sleeping
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sleep in dark environment
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avoid eating, coffee and sugary food the last hours before going to bed
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ensure a quiet sleeping environment
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take some time off to relax and meditate before going to bed
4. Stay social
“The man who is too isolated grows timid, abstracted, a little odd: He stumbles along amid realities like a sailor who has just come off his ship; he has lost the sense of the human lot.." - Antonin Sertillanges
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What do they think of me? How will they react if do this? Where am I heading to? Questions like these may be relevant to all of us but they may be the roots to stress, anxiety and anticipation as we may not answer them or fear the actual answers.
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Ultimately, these questions need not be asked and these negative feelings and thoughts can be avoided by entertaining good social connections. Talking and listening to people are the best ways to learn about our social environment and even discover new interests. Healthy social interactions can help us overcome our fears and improve our moral by focusing on the present and creating good memories.
5. keep the body active and stay healthy
"A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise" - A. A. Milne
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Our physical well-being influence our mental well-being and vice versa. Keeping the body fit by practicing sports and other outdoor activities in controlled stress-free environments as well as maintaining a balanced diet and a regular eating habit should be considered as an obligation towards ourselves as we seek to live a happy and healthy life.
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6. make time for yourself
"The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time" - Bertrand Russell
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Making time for yourself helps to enjoy some sleep, enjoy your favorite films and television shows, sports and social activities. But more than that, make time for yourself to learn new things.
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Learning new skills, experiences and acquiring new information about anything that makes up the world stimulates your brain and can provide the basis for new and better social interactions. Constant learning can reduce the risk of fear and negative thoughts.
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Personal time can also be dedicated to reflection and just enjoying a simple moment alone.
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