Taking care of your mental health entails understanding your requirements and creating techniques and habits to meet them. At first, this may feel difficult and even selfish, especially if you're not used to having your needs addressed. However, paying attention to your mental health and wellbeing is vital since prioritizing your mental health is the most effective way to deal with daily problems, stress, anxiety, sadness, and burnout. Further, even though mental health is an essential element of our total wellbeing, and it's something we should monitor regularly, it becomes crucial during times of great stress, such as the present epidemic. The coronavirus outbreak has altered people's lives all across the world. The epidemic has taken a physical, emotional, and financial toll on many people, making our mental health feel stressed. It's natural to feel more stressed and anxious during times of uncertainty, especially while social exclusion practices persist, but keeping your mental health is critical to surviving any storm. Therefore, we believe that it is essential to talk about ways to take care of our mental health, and in this article, our goal is to talk about practices that would ensure that upkeeping.
Stand-up to Your Inner Saboteur
Most of us have a bad-mouthing bully glaring us down in the mirror. This bully is essentially your inner voice, the voice in your head that says things you might not express out loud. We frequently aren't aware that this internal monologue is going on in the background, yet our self-talk may significantly impact how we feel about ourselves.
When you catch yourself criticizing yourself, stop and say something nice to yourself. The kinder voice within will grow in strength over time. It will get easier as you work on improving your self-talk. It's similar to learning to play an instrument or attending sports training: it won't be easy at first, but with practice, you'll improve.
Self-talk is a significant element of our self-esteem and confidence, even if it doesn't appear to be much. You'll be more likely to feel in control of what's going on in your life and to reach your objectives if you focus on replacing negative self-talk with more positive self-talk.
Be Present and Don't Get Caught in "What if"
Presence is the cure to being trapped in a sea of repeating ideas. It's tedious and anxiety-inducing to go through what-ifs and if-only. That is why meditation may be pretty beneficial. It strengthens the concentration muscle to redirect our minds as needed. Because it includes cleansing your thoughts to get at an emotionally peaceful state, meditation can help to prevent ruminating. Sit down, take a few deep breaths, and concentrate solely on your breathing. Seek out a calm spot if you find yourself with a loop of thoughts in your mind.
Listen to Your Needs
Checking in with oneself is critical. Even if it's been a long time since you've actually listened to yourself, you can start now. At any time. Because every moment is a chance to check in with yourself and pay attention to what you're hearing, determine how you listen to yourself in the first place. Consider whether your words and actions are in sync. Because when we ignore our emotions, they might manifest as numerous sicknesses, which are the body's method of obtaining the mind's attention. Physical aches and pains, such as headaches, chest discomfort, and gastrointestinal problems, should not be avoided.
Journal
Begin a 'tuning into myself' notebook in which you may express yourself without the worry of being criticized or affected by others. When we write down our thoughts, they naturally slow down, allowing us to hear ourselves more clearly and filter out outside distractions.
Further, by helping you prioritize issues, anxieties, and concerns, journaling can help you regulate your symptoms and enhance your mood. Also, by keeping track of any symptoms daily, you can identify triggers and learn how to handle them better.
Moreover, it should be established that your mental health is not stable nor unchanging but fluctuates on a personal scale in reaction to various stimuli. Everyone needs to consider that mood, wellbeing, and mental state are never linear, and it is more than usual to have fluctuations. Further, these fluctuations should not be a demotivation when practicing wellbeing as they are a part of the human experience and growth. So, even when it might feel like the daily mindfulness routines are not working, you should remember that they are most effective when practiced regularly. The regular mood swings are not a reason to stop prioritizing your mental health.
Finally, it's important to remember that there's no shame in prioritizing yourself first and foremost, whether it's keeping off social media, taking a personal day to focus on yourself, or getting medical advice. The most pleasing thing you can do for yourself and your loved ones is to set aside the time necessary to look after your physical and emotional health. Also, remember that you are never alone in moments of apprehension. If you ask for assistance, it will always be given, and it is past time for us to normalize this.
Sources:
3 ways to talk yourself up. (n.d.). Retrieved January 27, 2022, from https://au.reachout.com/articles/3-ways-to-talk-yourself-up
6 Ways To Prioritize Your Mental Health. (n.d.). Calm Blog. Retrieved January 27, 2022, from https://blog.calm.com/blog/6-ways-to-prioritize-your-mental-health
Happiness. (n.d.). Verywell Mind. Retrieved January 27, 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/happiness-4157200
How to Listen to Yourself—Especially If You’re Really Out of Practice. (2019, September 10). Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-to-listen-to-yourself-especially-if-youre-really-out-of-practice
Prioritizing Mental Health During COVID-19. (2020, April 10). Jefferson Center - Mental Health and Substance Use Services. https://www.jcmh.org/prioritizing-mental-health-during-covid-19/
Take Time to Prioritize Mental Health During The Pandemic. (2020, October 6). Memorial Healthcare. https://www.memorialhealthcare.org/take-time-to-prioritize-mental-health-during-the-pandemic/