How to have positive mental health every day

Medically Reviewed By Dr. Jose Toledo

How to have positive mental health everyday

Life is for living, to be the best you every day. That’s not only for you, but for everybody around you too.

Here are some proven successful methods for living that anyone can adopt to feel upbeat. Try them for a fortnight and you should notice definite positive benefits.

Keep it in the moment

Keeping it in the moment, living life one day at a time, is the best way to live. Just look to children and dogs who live like this – they seem generally much happier and more often than most of us!

It’s a waste of energy to live in the past or the future. It just means we fill ourselves up with regrets and anxiety. But living in the past or the future will not change a thing – except it will spoil the present moment.

Keeping it in the day is also beneficial if there’s a day ahead involving something you don’t want to do. Remember, it’s just for that day, not forever.

Avoid negatives

Do your best to only be around people who are positive for you. These are friends, family and colleagues who show you love and encourage you.

Also limit or give up social media and the news. Social media is always likely to provoke negative feelings such as envy, self-pity and excessive pride.

Then the news just focuses on all the worst bits of the world. Stay in touch with what’s happening, but be aware that the news emphasizes all that’s bad and tragic on the planet – and so you’ll be letting lots of negativity in.

Everybody has the choice to be positive. This can be difficult to hear if you’re struggling with depression, but mostly we can decide to be happy. It was the 16th president of the US Abraham Lincoln who said: “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

Gratitude is a fantastic way to feel positive. Throughout every day, realize things to be grateful for – such as having food, friends and family.

When we give we gain

Always show kindness with your time, money and talents. It will help those around you – and also make you feel pricelessly good inside.

Related to this is that we need to find forgiveness for others. Once again, this is a positive thing to do for those who we are forgiving, but it is also good for us as if we’re consumed with resentment it will leave us feeling toxic and negative.

As the saying goes: “Resentment is like drinking poison – then waiting for the person you resent to die.”

Similarly we need to say sorry if we have said or done something or made a mistake that negatively impacts on someone else. They may not even accept the apology, but at least we’ve done the right thing – and so then we can move on.

Exercising and eating well

Exercise and eat well

We need to exercise for 30 minutes five times a week – at least. It is obviously good for us physically, but also releases the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.

So exercising will make us feel good and then when we see and feel the benefits it will boost our self-esteem. Getting among nature while exercising is also excellent for emotional health.

Then, make sure to eat well. That doesn’t only mean lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, but also having regular eating times and not rushing meals or eating too much.

Do something that requires concentration

Our minds need to be exercised every day too. So make sure at least once a day to spend at least 30 minutes doing something that needs thought and concentration. This includes things such as watching a documentary, playing an instrument, doing sudoku or a crossword, learning a language, playing chess or reading a book.

Reflect and relax

Find at least 30 minutes every day to relax. Somewhere that is calm and still where you won’t get disturbed is best.

Make sure to breathe slowly and relax. This is the perfect way to start and finish each day.

Sleeping well contributes to a healthy mental health

Sleep well

Get to bed at the same time every night and develop a good habit of sleeping for seven to eight hours every night. This will be of immense benefit both physically and mentally.

Our immune systems work best if we have good regular sleep. Also, we will be more tolerant and less irritable after a decent night’s sleep. In all ways, we will perform better.

Be honest, including to yourself

It’s much better for us emotionally and mentally – and therefore physically too – to always be honest with other people. Nobody gets away with a lie, because it will leave us feeling at least ill at ease inside.

Be honest to yourself too. More than 400 years ago, William Shakespeare knew the immeasurable benefit of this when he wrote in Hamlet: “This above all: to thine own self be true.”

It pays to learn to listen to gut instinct. It will always tell us the truth because unlike our minds it cannot lie to us.

One aspect to certainly include in this is to answer with honesty questions such as: is my lifestyle good for me – or not? Am I living in a manner that is physically and/or emotionally unhealthy?

If you know, for instance, that you’re drinking or using drugs too much, working too many hours or something else like this that’s detrimental to you (and consequently most likely to those around you too), then you need to make some changes. Many people need help with this from a professional who has expertise in these matters.

Our experienced professional team has helped people for many years with all types of mental health problems. Call us today to have a chat about how we can help you or someone you know.

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