6 Simple Ways to Improve Your Mental Health
Introduction
The food you consume on a daily basis shapes your body. It is important to have a balanced diet with all the nutrients. If you keep eating junk food, it will lead to several health complications. Similarly, the information you consume shapes your mind. You should be wary of the inputs that you are receiving throughout the day. We often make sure that children don't see things that they are not supposed to. It is important that we as adults do the same.
A desire to go to the gym or change your sleeping habits does not imply that you have a disease. Similarly, wanting to improve your mental health does not imply that you are mentally ill. It just means that there are certain things about yourself that you wish to improve. And it is also important for all of us to stay mentally healthy. So here are 6 things you can do to preserve and improve your mental health.
Avoid watching the news
Newspapers and news channels on the television primarily have negative content. Gossip, crime and politics are the main themes. This type of news sells best. You tune in to keep yourself updated. But they feed all this negativity to you. You start judging the world based on these partially true facts. This gives you a distorted view of the world around you.
If you keep watching negative content, you become a pessimist. You start seeing the world through a negative lens. Your mind gets conditioned to notice only the horrible things around you. This makes you feel miserable. You start feeling that the world is not a safe place. You lose your peace of mind. Eventually, your mental health starts deteriorating. This is why mental health issues are on the surge.
Solution
If you want to be updated, I would recommend using a mobile application. Here you can handpick the topics that you are interested in. This will ensure that you don't come across other unnecessary topics.
Understand how social media works
You need to realize that people portray a false image of themselves on social media. They show only the bright aspects of their lives. They make it seem like everything is perfect. But that is not even remotely close to the truth.
Examples
People often feel insecure about their looks after viewing pictures of others. But those pictures usually go through multiple layers of editing. Sometimes the person doesn't even look similar to the image.
People feel left out while others post pictures or videos of them having fun. But we need to realize they are using their phones instead of living the moment. If they were actually enjoying themselves, wouldn't they forget about their phones? In some cases, these people just pretend to have fun to make the video look glamorous.
Bottom line
You are beautiful and your life is wonderful the way it is. Stop beating yourself up over people pretending to have a great life.
Read Inspirational stories
The world is filled with amazing human beings. There are millions of stories of people who have braved unimaginable odds. There are people who have selflessly dedicated their lives to the service of others. Biographies and autobiographies of such people are available too. Make it a habit to read at least one such small story every day. This will boost your morale and inspire you. It will also make you feel better about the world around you,.
Listen to positive and uplifting music
Personally, I refrain from listening to sad songs. I don't believe in consciously putting myself in a sad state of mind. I either listen to soul stirring melodies or music that uplifts my mood. This works well especially when I am having a bad day. The comfort and solace you get from your favorite playlist cannot be described in words.
Watch comedy
Watching comedy has so many benefits. It uplifts your mood and relieves stress. In terms of mental health, laughter is truly the best medicine As a stand up comedian myself, I know the impact laughter has on people.
Everyone has a different sense of humor. You might like watching funny videos of kids while another person prefers comedy movies. It does not matter what you watch as long as you have a hearty laugh.
A word of caution
You must however make sure that you don't get addicted to it. Like any medicine, the dosage is important. Spending up to one hour a day watching comedy is good. But beyond that, it might make you feel lazy. So make sure you keep a track of time as well.
Story time
Watch this video of how an individual overcame cancer through humour.
Watch Motivational videos
The internet is flooding with motivational videos. Some of them are speeches and interviews of highly successful people. Others are scripted messages with a lot of creative visual aids. Watching these videos regularly makes you feel powerful. You start taking control of your life. You start enjoying the challenges life throws at you. You get out of your victim mentality and start getting things done. It puts you in a wonderful mental space.
Conclusion
By practicing these regularly you will be able to take good care of your mental health. In case you are facing any difficulty, please reach out a professional. Seek medical assistance. There are a lot of mental health helplines that are available based on where you live. Make use of them if necessary. Stay safe and stay healthy.