We live in a crazy, busy and fast paced world. It’s so different than even 50 years ago, when the TV had just been invented, and we could choose what we watched, listened to on the radio or read in the newspaper.
Nowadays, we see literally thousands of advertisements a day, many of us work harder and longer than ever, and we carry a device in our pocket that many of us couldn’t be without. And while smartphones keep us up to date with important things, they also fill us with mindless entertainment information and an overwhelming amount of news and social feeds from various networks. It’s a lot to deal with.
So, how can we combat that and boost our mental health so all we have to deal with does not bog us down? Here are some changes you can make, today, to improve your state of mind:
1. Exercise Regularly
It’s important to move daily, in whichever way you can. Whether it’s yoga, sports or individual pursuits, it’s all good for you as long as you do it more often than just the day after Thanksgiving when you’re feeling guilty for eating so much pumpkin pie.
A great way to keep track of your movement to keep it consistent is to use a pedometer. If you want to hold it in place you can use a type of lanyard with a clip, similar to NHS Lanyards, and that will keep track of distance covered and how many steps you’ve taken. You could also get a smart watch or something similar – and keep your info stored electronically.
2. Have Gratitude
Every day, preferably when you wake up or before you go to sleep, list all the things you’re grateful for. It really brings you back to the present rather than worrying about all the things that happened during the day. It helps if you tell someone you’re grateful for them – having gratitude makes you enjoy life more and feel happier. It also helps problems seem smaller and solvable.
3. Connect With Others
It can be all too easy to sit inside eating pizza and binge watching episodes of Grey’s Anatomy. The best thing to do, however, is to go out. Leave the house. Talk to someone. Create connections with people – even offer to help someone with something they’re struggling with. It might be talking about a relationship or just doing the dishes together – these kinds of things take the attention off you and put it on someone else, and just like that, you can feel your mood shift.
4. Eat Well
Always remember to take care of yourself and keep in mind that what you consume will determine how you feel. That goes for what you watch and the types of conversations you have too. The best foods to eat are vegetables and legumes and avoid processed foods and refined sugar. Make sure you’re eating lots of fiber and remember,it’s easy to feel good about yourself when your body feels good.
Keep track of what you’re doing each day and try to improve just a little bit every day. It could just be a morning or evening ritual or cooking something new – the choice is ultimately yours.
