Do you ever ask yourself; how can I get along better with people? Do you have trouble feeling defensive with others or are get frustrated with people ? Have you felt like you are being walked on by others or have trouble managing your emotions?
Well, you’re not alone. These are common issues that have to do with our mental health. The good news is we can strengthen our mental health just like we strengthen our muscles. We can feed our minds good food and be healthy and strong.
Here are 3 tips to improve your mental health
Be Thoughtful
Don’t be clueless! The first way we can improve our mental health is to be thoughtful about it. Acknowledge that your negative thinking may be negatively impacting your mental health. Face the idea that if you are having a similar problem with others, you are the one who is the common denominator. Being thoughtful will help you address what needs healing or strengthening. It’s a courageous and powerful step to do this work.
I have a lot to say about mental health since I suffered from depression for most of my life. One of the first steps towards recovering from it was to take responsibility for it. Depression was not something happening TO me. I was a part of the problem and needed to take steps to fix it.
And depression is not just a mental health issue. It is also a physical health issue and a spiritual health issue. Getting healthy in all three areas was necessary to heal from it. The point is, do not feel that your mental health is a mystery or out of your control.
Mental health issues are so difficult because they cause us to feel sad and out of control. I want you to realize that no matter where you are on the spectrum, you can do something about your mental health.
Intentional
The second way to improve your mental health is to be intentional about it. The direction of your life is up to you and you can take intentional steps to improve it. Be proactive and take ownership of both your ability to be resilient and your work ethic. Also take care of yourself. Self-care will improve your mental health.
No one is able to care about your life as much as you do. And no one is able to help you as much as you can. there are many resources out there to help you improve your mental health. You can read my book, So Now What? A Guide for People Who Feel Stuck or one of the many others written to help with specific mental health problem. There are amazing podcasts to listen to and YouTube channels with great videos. You can reach out to trusted and wise friends or join a group. These are all intentional steps you can take to improve your mental health.
Mental Health Skills
The third way to improve your mental health is to learn some skills. Just like learning to play piano or sail a boat, it’s important to have the right skills. Here are three principles you can learn to improve your mental health.
Personal Boundaries
A personal boundary is knowing when to say yes and how to say not to others. It is about what is ‘you’ and what is ‘not you’. Personal boundaries were very helpful to me to distinguish what I was responsible for in relationships and what others were responsible for. I cannot recommend enough learning about personal boundaries to improve your mental health.
You may think you wouldn’t be able to say no to the difficult or dominate person in your life but I’m here to tell you, ‘You can!’ Not only is it good for you, it’s good for them, and good for your relationship. When we take responsibility for the things other people should be doing for themselves, we rob them of the opportunity to do it themselves and we try to control them. We were not created to relate to people in this way.
Don’t Take Things Personally
Another mental health skill is to not take things personally. This may be a revolutionary idea for some of you. When you learn to not take things personally, your mental health improves.
There will always be people who disagree with you. There will always be people who think you’re wrong. When you chase after what other people think is bad or good, your mental health suffers. You will be constantly confused about what is ‘right’ depending on who you listen to.
You must learn to trust yourself. I am not suggesting you quit listening to other’s opinions all together. Always be open to new ideas and continue to learn. But do it from your own mind, not because you take other’s opinions personally.
Manage Your Emotions
A third mental health skill is to manage your emotions. I will argue that no one can make you feel a certain way. Our emotions are our choice. This is good news! You can be happy and joyful, even if those around you aren’t. When you manage your emotions, your mental health improves.
Give your mental health rest, just like you give your body.
To improve your mental health, be thoughtful, intentional, and learn mental health skills