Making Mental Health a Priority

You always hear talk about being healthy and being the best version of yourself that you can be. You work out and you plan healthy diets, but it’s uncommon to hear people talking about making your mental health a priority. You can work hard and achieve goals, but you can also overwork yourself. This will take a toll on your mental health. You’ll start to feel stressed and anxious, and if you’re anything like me you’ll shut down and all the goals you were so focused on achieving won’t seem important to you anymore. You won’t feel driven to get anything done.

There is often a clear distinction when talking about ‘mind’ and ‘body’, but when you’re thinking of physical and mental health, these two should not be thought of as separate. Poor physical health can increase risk of developing mental health issues, and vice versa. Taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body.

So where should you start?

Write down something you’re grateful for on a sticky note and place it somewhere you can see it often (like a bathroom mirror). Every time you see it you will be reminded that there is so much to be thankful for. 

Do something nice for someone, small acts of kindness will not only make you feel good, but it will leave a lasting impact on them as well. 

Take time every night to reflect on your day. Think of some things that you’re thankful for, some things that bother you (and think of how you can fix these things), a couple things you might want to work on in the next few days. This allows you to put your thoughts into order.

Continue to work on physical health; exercising, following a healthy diet, and having a regular sleep schedule can help you maintain good mental health. It’s actually scientifically proven that having a routine can reduce the risk of anxiety, stress and depression. Read about the benefits here.

Most importantly of all, don’t forget that it’s okay to take a break. One person can only handle so much before stress starts to eat away at their positive thoughts. Don’t be afraid to take a step back and breathe for a moment.

Mental strength is important because that’s what will get you through when motivation is lacking. I talk about these things because mental health is just as important as physical health to me. I challenge you to take time to get your mental health in check. Set goals, make a list of things you’ve done that you’re proud of. Start making mental health a priority today