Ensure Your Mental Health

Have you ever experienced bouts of feeling down, like your mind is racing, or that you’re generally out of sorts? Have they ever disrupted your life or made you wonder what was going on with you? When you strengthen your mental health, you’ll feel better all over and your life will be more satisfying.

The good news is you can take steps to ensure you enjoy good mental health all of your life.

Try these ideas to get started on this joyous path:

1. Live the life you want to live. Rather than sit around dreaming of the life you want, make it happen. No matter how small your steps, move in the direction of your dreams.

2. Make yourself happy. No one else can create your happiness. You’ve got to do it for yourself.

• Create spaces you love within your home. Keep the windows sparkling clean if that’s what you prefer.

• Take long walks or practice yoga to bring peace and serenity.

• Read about the places you wish to travel to someday.

3. Avoid involvement with people who bring you down. Many of us have a friend or family member who dampens our spirits when we’re happy or excited about something. Recognize that while you probably can’t change that person, you can choose your relationship with them.

• Although you might feel compassion and understanding for those who bring you down, it’s important to ensure that they don’t interfere with your own happiness and health.

4. Whatever your work is, find the best in it. Pride, enjoyment, and fulfillment are keys to enjoying your life. Because most of us spend lots of time at our jobs, cultivating these experiences there is critical.

• If your job is polishing floors, make them the best-looking floors you’ve ever seen. If you type for a living, ensure you make as few errors as possible and the finished project looks beautiful.

• Enjoying some aspect of your work might include telling a joke to a co-worker or getting excited about a new project you’ll be doing.

• When your work fulfills you, at the end of the day you’ll feel great about a job well done. These positive emotions help ensure your mental health.

5. Get plenty of sleep and eat right. When your body is well nourished, your mind and spirit tend to be healthier as well. You’ll most likely be in a better mood and have the energy to accomplish more.

6. Surround yourself with people you love. Stick to the people you’re comfortable with, who show their love for you. A strong, emotionally supportive network is your safety net when times get rough. You’ll be able to call your friends or family when you need a listening ear or a shoulder to lean on.

7. Cultivate hobbies and activities that bring you joy. No matter what your chosen pastimes are, find time in your busy life to do things that bring you comfort, happiness, and contentment.

8. Seek Professional Intervention: There is a stigma especially within the Black community,  and among men, that mental health is not a public issue.

Refuse to suppress or manage your mental health concerns alone. Speak with a professional therapist or coach*.

Regardless of how old you are, where you live, or what you do for work or fun, good mental health is integral to your life. Use these ideas as inspiration to come up with ways to ensure your life is happy, fulfilling, and bountiful.