One of the most important things you can do for your mental wellbeing is to invest in your most important asset, YOU. It’s vital that you take the time and make the decisions that are going to be best for your mental health. In today’s world things can get quite stressful; many of us are overworked and constantly staring at our phones and computers. Many people are not taking the time so set these things aside for a moment to regroup and focus on themselves.
Finding the Time
One of the most common things I hear from people is that they struggle to find the time to dedicate to themselves. It’s not about finding the time, it’s about making the time for yourself. One of the key pieces of advice I can give to people is: create boundaries.
Smartphones and social media has become an unavoidable part of our lives that can cause a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety. I’m not saying that all social media is bad and you should go and delete your Instagram and Facebook accounts; but it’s important that you set boundaries for yourself and take a break every once in a while. One of the best ways you can set some time aside for yourself is not to look at your phone right at the beginning of the day. Take time when you wake up and enjoy getting ready, eat nice breakfast (slowly!) and relax with a cup of coffee before you start your day; you will be amazed how much healthier your outlook will be when you start your day off on the right foot. Even 5 mins is better than 0 mins!
Good Friends with Good Attitudes
Everyone wants to be part of a group and one of the most important things for mental health is having a good group of people to socialise with. Problems occur when the people you surround yourself with are not adding towards you becoming a better person.
We learn a lot from others and we fall into similar habits as the people we surround ourselves with. This is why it’s so important for us to keep those who are good to us close. In order to be the best you, you need to be around people who have a positive energy and love you for who you are. Constantly being around people who don’t really care and are friends with you out of convenience is not going to put you on the right path to a more positive life.
Finding Joy
Even when you’re feeling buried in a dark place, I guarantee light will find a way. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. No-one has a perfect life or a perfect day every day. But everyone has some form of joy – all we need to do is look for it. There is always a silver lining, even in the dark times. Even in the times when things feel tough, there will be moments – whether its a loving conversation with a friend, or a stranger being kind to you, that will come into your life. It’s important to recognise these moments and say to yourself: ‘not everything is bad and I can and will come out on the other side of this’. Appreciating the little things is what brings joy. Every day you’re alive is a blessing and should be thought of as nothing less.
Taking the time to invest in yourself and appreciate the small victories is going to go a long way to turning a negative outlook around. It’s important to remember that the most valuable person in your life is always going to be yourself. Mindset is everything. It’s mindset that helps you find the joy even in the darkest of times.