Mental Health Matters

How are you doing? I mean really, how are you?

Your mental well being is important because it affects everything that you think, say, do and feel, every single day. 

Your mental well being literally decides how you handle stress, productivity at work and how you socialize with others. It is critical in today's world.

Since the Covid19 Pandemic, mental well being has become more important than ever. 

Mental well being matters now more than ever because we live in a world with rapid changes. We spend long hours behind screens at work in high stress environments without proper breaks. This is not good for us and it has a negative impact for our overall health. 

When your mental health is good, you can handle pressures from almost anywhere. But your mental well being is connected to your physical health. 

If you are feeling depressed then your physical health can also suffer; for example through head aches and stomach upsets. People with anxiety and depression increase every year.

Benefits of mental well-being: 

Productivity: Healthy people learn new things easily and work well to achieve personal goals.

Relationships: People with good mental and physical health forge better relationships with family, friends and co-workers.

Resilience: We are better at coping with life's ups and downs and changes when our mental health is good. 

What can we do to prioritize our mental well being?

Self care is essential for our every day well being such as getting enough sleep, drinking enough water and taking screen breaks throughout the day.

Work smarter, not harder. Focus on the things that matter the most and know that you cannot do everything all at once.

Setting boundaries. Practice saying "no" to things and think about what's important in your life. 

Connecting with other people. Good relationships are wonderful for our mental well being and belonging. Sharing our experiences and emotions are important.

Mindfulness - Be aware of the present moment and your thoughts and feelings in that moment. This is something most of us forget to do during the day.

When do you pause to think about yourself? 

We often forget to think about ourselves and take a time out for some "me" time. Try and build in a short break into your day and notice the difference. 

Exercising regularly greatly benefits our overall health and changes our brain chemistry that positively affects our mood. Running and working out improve your fitness levels and strengthens your muscles.

Learning new skills can make a big difference to your mental well being by having a goal to work towards. It boosts self confidence 

Giving to others and being kind helps to connect with people and give a sense of purpose. It feels great to help someone, no matter if it's giving up your time to listen to a friend, or volunteering at a homeless shelter. 

Accept the things you cannot change. This is a big one that we all find hard sometimes. Pay attention to the things that you have control over and let the other stuff go. 

When you juggle too many plates in the air, you spread yourself too thin and eventually those plates come crashing down on you. 

Challenge negative thoughts. Identify and replace those thoughts that are not good for your mental health with positive affirmations. 

Instead of telling yourself "you can't do it," change the narrative to "you can't do it yet." 

Trust me, these small challenges can make a huge difference to your mental state of mind. If you can think positive thoughts, your outlook changes.

Mental well being is essential for our overall health and can have a big impact on us when we feel down. As a trauma survivor, I know only too well what negative thoughts can do to my day. 

The days when I'm not triggered by memories are the ones where I thrive and feel strong. I want you to feel that way too.

My name is Lizzy. I'm a trauma survivor, a wife, a mom, a teacher, and an author.

If you like reading my posts, then please follow me.

For more about me: www.elizabethwoodsauthor.com

Support your fellow writer:

https://ko-fi.com/elizabe69245484

https://www.amazon.com/Sex-Offenders-Daughter-Story-Survival-Against-ebook/dp/B0BBSV97VF?ref_=ast_author_mpb

https://www.amazon.com/Living-Complex-PTSD-Fragments-survivor-childhood-ebook/dp/B0BQH44L6Y?ref_=ast_author_mpb