Finding emotional wellbeing is a critical part of overall physical health. Just like exercising and eating healthy, taking steps to improve our mental health and emotional wellbeing can have long-term beneficial impacts on our well-being, mood, and energy levels. This article will discuss the importance of dedicating time and energy to prioritize your mental health and emotional wellbeing.
1. An Overview on Mental Health and Wellness
Understanding Mental Health and Wellness
Mental health and wellness are integral parts of our overall wellbeing and, often, people forget about them. ‘Wellness’ does not just refer to physical health, but mental and emotional health, too. In order to be truly healthy, all three components need to be considered.
Our mental and emotional health often depends on the amount and quality of rest we get, our diet and nutrition, and social connections. Whether we are conscious of it or not, what we think and how we feel plays a big role in our overall wellness. Our feelings and thoughts affect our decisions, how we behave and most importantly, how we relate to ourselves and to others.
Mental Health Challenges
Living with a mental health condition or disorder can be a difficult challenge for anyone. Mental health concerns, like depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder can have a huge impact on people’s lives. Other mental health challenges, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia can make it hard for a person to function in society.
It’s important for people to realize that those living with these conditions can have effective treatments and still lead a healthy and fulfilled life.
Maximizing Mental Wellness
The key to maximizing mental wellness and living a happy and balanced life is to be aware of how our emotions and thoughts are affecting us and our behavior. Here are a few tips to help look after your mental health:
- Talk to people: Make sure to talk to someone if something is bugging you, or you’re feeling down. Having people to talk to can help you put things into perspective.
- Maintain a balanced and healthy diet: Eating well keeps the body and mind in good shape, so always ensure you’re getting the right nutrition.
- Keep active: Exercise releases endorphins, hormones that make us feel happier.
- Take time out: Whether it’s listening to your favorite tunes, going for a stroll or just enjoying a cup of coffee. Taking a break can help us recharge and remain focused.
- Listen to your gut: Don’t be afraid to listen to your intuition – it can often be right.
Where to get help?
If the challenge of managing mental health becomes too much, there are specialized resources to help. Professional psychologists and therapists can provide invaluable assistance and guidance. Additionally, talking to friends and family about mental health can create a safe and empathetic space, one that allows you to share your struggles and get the help you need.
2. Tips to Prioritize Emotional Wellbeing
Take Care of Basic Needs
Taking care of ourselves starts with meeting our basic needs, and basic needs are the most important things to attend to first. Make sure that you are eating healthy meals, drinking enough water, and getting enough sleep. When it comes to meals, make sure that you are eating the right balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and other foods so that you can keep your energy levels up throughout the day. Not getting enough sleep can lead to feeling sluggish and off-balance, which may lead to a range of mental-emotional issues.
Trust Your Instincts
Your emotions are signs or signals that tell you important information about your experiences. The key is not to deny or reject your emotions but to accept that they are here, observe them, and work with them. It’s important to listen to your instinct and do what resonates with you. This is what helps you grow and make meaningful progress.
Practice Self-Compassion
It’s all too easy to get stuck in the loop of self-criticism and negative self-talk. You may have learned a few unhealthy coping strategies as you went about your life. But it’s now time to start cultivating a sense of compassion towards yourself. Being kind and understanding towards yourself is key for boosting your emotional wellbeing.
Spend Time with Friends and Family
Human connection is the lifeblood of social wellbeing. Spend time with people who understand you and with whom you feel comfortable and relaxed. Use this time to vent, talk, listen, and discuss things and issues that are important to you. Regularly connecting with people helps keep stress levels low and strengthens your resilience.
Get a Hobby and Exercise
Having a hobby or regular activity can help you relax and can create a sense of purpose and satisfaction. Whether it’s running, climbing, photography, baking, or any other activity that sparks joy and motivates you, regular exercise helps by releasing feel-good hormones such as endorphins. Plus, stimulating your brain with a challenging activity can help make you feel good about yourself.
3. Ways to Cultivate Mental Wellness
1. Make Time for Self-Reflection
Mental wellness is something that can be cultivated through various exercises and practices. One of the most important habits to develop is taking time for self-reflection on a regular basis. Consider journaling to help capture your thoughts and feelings on a day-to-day basis. This process can help connect the dots between your feelings and potential stressors or uncover underlying causes for negative thoughts or situations that weigh on your mind.
2. Exercise & Eat Well
The connection between physical and mental health cannot be overstated. Exercise can be an effective tool for managing stress as well as boosting energy levels and overall wellbeing. No matter what form of exercise you do, from an invigorating cardio session to a relaxing yoga class, just make sure you’re doing something physical on a regular basis. Additionally, paying attention to what and how you’re eating can also make a big difference.
3. Develop a Toolkit
Develop a toolkit of activities to do when a mental health challenge arises or is anticipated. This might mean anything from meditating to calling someone who knows you well and listening to their soothing words. Consider what different activities you can do that make you feel relaxed and at peace.
4. Take Time Outside
Nature has a way of restoring and uplifting our spirits. Whether this means sitting in the park or taking a walk around the neighborhood, a few minutes of fresh air can do wonders for our minds. Research shows that being around nature can reduce stress hormone levels and improve your mental wellbeing.
5. Reach Out for Support
We can’t always get through difficult mental hurdles on our own. Remember that there is no burden too great and no question too small. Consider joining a support group, either online or in person. There are also many mental health professionals who specialize in helping those navigate difficult emotions.
4. The Benefits of Mental Wellbeing
Stress Management:
Mental wellbeing can help you manage stress more effectively. It can assist you in understanding why certain events cause stress, and teach you how to focus on relaxations and calming techniques to reduce stress. This can help you take a more proactive approach to managing your emotional state and help you lead a happier and healthier life.
Increase in Resilience:
When you practice mental wellbeing, it can help build resilience to life’s challenges. You learn to recognize potential stress triggers and know the strategies to adapt and cope better. This can help improve your physical and mental health, as you learn to cope with difficult situations in a healthier manner.
Improved Communication:
Having an understanding of mental wellbeing can help you build better connections with people and be more successful in your personal and professional relationships. By having a deeper understanding of yourself, you can more effectively communicate your feelings, wants and expectations to others. You can also build better connections with others by creating a safe and open platform for dialogue, and a mutual understanding of each other.
Enhanced Self-Awareness:
Mental wellbeing helps you become more in tune with yourself and your surroundings. This allows you to recognize the physical and mental signs of stress, and then take the appropriate action. It also assists in recognizing positive aspects and opportunities to further personal development.
Increased Productivity:
With better mental wellbeing, you can become more productive. You are more likely to be more organized and structured in your approach to tasks, and this can help complete tasks more quickly and efficiently. Time saved allows for allocated time to relax, further increasing productivity.
Self-care is essential for emotional wellbeing. Mental health and wellness should be thought of as complementary—it’s worth noting that one cannot exist without the other. One of the best ways to manage mental health and wellness is to put your emotional wellbeing first. Taking the time to prioritize your emotional well-being will not just benefit your mental health but will positively influence your entire lifestyle, ensuring that you get the most out of life.
