May is Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s talk about how to take care of our mental health as ordinary individuals.
Since I am not a medical expert, if you have a serious mental problem, the best way is to seek help from a professional. If you are just trying to get some basic ideas about how to take care of your mental health as an ordinary one, I hope this post is helpful.
There are various causes of mental issues: genes, biological factors, life experiences, bad life habits, accidents, etc. If gene and biological factors cause your mental health cause, you need to seek professional help. If you are just looking for some ideas to take good care of your mental health as an ordinary person like me, then keep reading.
1. Have a better idea about the meaning of your life.
Many times we feel unhappy or lost, and stressed because we have no idea about the meaning of life. During our growing up, we didn’t have a chance to learn about this topic. To many of us, no teachers or parents talk about this to us. However, knowing the meaning of your life is very important.
If life is a journey, the meaning of your life is a compass. Once you know well the meaning of your life, you will know well how to spend your life, otherwise, you might feel that life itself is meaningless. Once you experience something negative, you might feel depressed easily.
So what is the meaning of your life? You need to ask yourself. Everyone has his answer. In the post “The Meaning of Life“, I shared my ideas about the meaning of my life. Take your time to find the meaning of your life.
I believe we are all born with a mission. Some people might change the whole world and be called heroes, however, the majority of us will just be ordinary, but we still could do something to make the world a better place.
For example, if you are a teacher, you share your knowledge with your students and they greatly benefit from your knowledge and become an educated person, which changes their lives for the better. Or you are a social worker, and because of your efforts, you saved up many broken families. Or you are a stay-at-home mom, but you raise well-behaved children.
Once you find the meaning of your life, you will find your life is no longer meaningless. You can do many things and you feel excited every day to explore the world. Take your time to find your call. It is worth it.
2. Listen to your heart, and follow your dream.
Our heart is our very best friend. Many times it whispers to us to tell us what we should do. However, many of us just ignore the voice because of various reasons. The voice of our heart is telling us who we are. If you don’t listen to your heart, you will feel you lost yourself. As a result, you feel anxious and hopeless.
When you have to face a choice or make a tough decision, try to listen to your heart and follow your dream. I know it is not an easy decision to make many times, but you won’t feel regret. You are living the life you wish to live and you are brave enough to live for yourself. You become the owner of your life. Nothing feels better than this.
3. Don’t compare. Focus on your growth.
With the popularity of social media and the Internet, it is hard not to compare yourself to others. I often fell into this trap too. However, I keep telling myself, that everyone is unique and everyone has his strengths and weaknesses.
You are special yourself. Comparing to others wastes your time and it is helpless. Everyone started at a different starting point. It is unfair to compare yourself who came from a humble background to someone who is born with a privilege.
Focus on your growth. You might be surprised how far you have gone and how much you have achieved. Once you make progress every day, you know you are on the right path.
Even if you fail, remember, that everything is just an experience. The goal of your life is not about winning, it is about the experience. Failure is a part of life. At least you tried. And you should feel proud of yourself. Not everyone is trying and you did it.
4. Take good care of yourself mentally and physically.
No matter how busy you are, spare some time for yourself only. Find the time to read books, listen to music, do meditation, have a walk, go to the gym, and have a good sleep. If you take good care of yourself, you will feel good about yourself.
5. Have a positive people relationship.
The relationship is one of the big factors that affect our mental health, so it is essential to create a positive relationship. What does it mean? It means you have to make a wise decision whenever it comes to the people. For example, you have to choose your partners and friends wisely. If you can’t choose your family or colleagues, you can make a wise move: Try to improve your relationship or avoid those negative people. I shared some ideas about how to have a happy relationship, hope it is helpful.
6. Stay safe.
Surprisingly, many people suffer from mental health because of the accidents. My uncle is one of the victims. He fell off into a deep hole during his work at a mining site which damaged his brain badly. Try to wear protective helmets when it is necessary. Drive safe. Always be cautious when you go out for your work or do other things. Just try your best to reduce the chance of getting hurt.
I hope these ideas are helpful. You are your best friend. Taking good care of yourself, then you will have the ability to take care of the people you care about. Thank you for reading.