There’s nothing worse than being stuck in a bad mood you can’t shake, or feeling overwhelmed and like there’s not much you can do to improve things. I’ve had a few hard periods over the past few years, especially during the pandemic, and I’ve found there’s a few things that can help me improve my mental health. If you feel like you’ve been in a bit of a bad spot for a while, or just want to improve your mood overall, keep reading for my top 3 tips for improving your mental health when you’re in a funk.
1. Connect With Friends and Family
Modern life can be a bit lonely, especially if you’re single and without children. Life can get busy fast and it’s easy to forget to make plans and before you know it, it’s Monday again and you’re feeling a bit disconnected. Make time for loved ones, especially those who you can be vulnerable with or that help recharge your batteries. Seeing people you love often is a great way to help boost your mood, to feel more supported and loved, and to enjoy life more. Hugs with people you love are also great for your overall mental health, so see the people you love as often as you can!
2. Give Back
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, giving is a popular theme for right now. While it’s a great time of the year to give money, it’s also important that we offer our time and special skills. Volunteering is a great way to make a difference in the world, and the very act of being needed and giving can do wonders for your mental health and self esteem. You can give back as often or as infrequently as your schedule allows, but once you realize how transforming this can be for your own mental health, you might want to volunteer more often!
3. Get Your Body Moving
We all know exercise can be a great way to get some feel good chemicals pumping through your body, but so many of us fail to incorporate exercise into our daily routine. Regular exercise is not only amazing for your cardiovascular system, but it can also be life changing for your mental health too. If you can combine exercise with another thing such as seeing friends or exercising outside for a vitamin D exposure, you can supercharge the mental health boosting effects.
4. Be Grateful
It’s to focus on what we don’t have or what we’re lacking, but the truth is we all have so many blessings in our lives. Spend a little time each day focusing on what you’re grateful for and what value it brings to your life. This might feel a little strange at first, but you can be grateful for almost anything and everything. From the roof over your head, to the very smart device that you’re using to read this list. By writing gratitude lists, you’re reprogramming your brain to focus on the positives, which will have numerous positive benefits in all areas of your life including your mental health.
5. Do The Things You Love
What makes you come alive? Is there something you’re really passionate about, or something you love doing and every time you do it you think to yourself “wow, I should do this more often.” Those are the things you should focus your energy on. Maybe it’s’ a pedicure, a day trip to the spa, a long run, or a massage. Whatever it is, do more of that and you will see your mood slowly lift.
Your mental health is important and you should spend time each day cultivating habits that help you feel better about your mental health.
