10 Simple Ways to Improve Your Mental Health

10 Simple Ways to Improve Your Mental Health - Kortni Jeane
10 Simple Ways to Improve Your Mental Health
The beginning of a new year is here! It’s invigorating to reflect on the past year’s experiences and then to dream of what’s coming in the brand new year. It’s the perfect time to start your resolutions, whether it’s hanging up your clothes after trying them on or picking up that book you’ve had your eye on. But as we’re diving into all we want to accomplish in 2020, it’s easy to burnout and FAST! It’s important to take the time and effort, in the middle of all your resolutions, to take care of yourself. Follow along with us as we go through 10 simple ways to improve your mental health when you start to feel that 2020 burnout. 
Relax
If you’re leading a busy life at the start of 2020, with kids, or a career, or both, then you have to commit to taking time for yourself! Squeeze in at least 30 minutes of alone time, whether it’s soaking in a warm bath, writing in a journal, or reading that book that’s on your resolution list anyway. Choose one thing that helps you rejuvenate and commit to it. Everything you’re doing this year is so important - but so are YOU! Take care of your own mental health by relaxing at for the entirety of this new year.Get Your Body Moving
Studies often show that exercise has an important influence on your mental health, so we recommend paying attention to what your body is telling you. Have you been vegging on the couch every night after a busy day? Have you thought about going to the gym but convinced yourself that it was too far away? We’ve all been there! But more often than not, our bodies are begging us for some exercise. If you’re feeling burned out at the start of the new year and the last thing you want to do is work out, do it anyway! You won’t regret it! Moving that wonderful body of yours will improve your mental health, every time.
Eat What Makes You Feel Good
Similar to exercise, studies also show that a balanced diet actually improves your mental health, so we {again} recommend paying attention to what your body is telling you! Have you been eating a lot of salty/fat-heavy foods? Have you been making a stop at your favorite soda place every single day? {Don’t worry, us too!} While all of these things are fun and tasty, if you’re starting to feel mentally burnt out, work in those foods that make you feel good! Whether it’s some hummus and carrots or chicken and broccoli, you won’t regret it! {Plus, with exercise AND balanced foods in the mix, we could probably still slip in our favorite soda here and there, right?!}
10 Simple Ways to Improve Your Mental Health
Volunteer to Help Others
When you are exhausted from all you have to do or when you help children all day long, it can be hard to take the time to volunteer for your community. However, giving to others helps protect your mental and physical health! Service reduces stress, combats depression, keeps you mentally stimulated and gives you a major boost of self-esteem! Not only will you experience that “feel good” emotion, you may also find that volunteering gives you a sense of purpose. Schedule in time throughout your busy week to give back to your community in order to improve your emotional health.
Spend Time with Positive People
Spending time with the right people can do loads of good for your mental health! If the friends or family members around you seem to be having a negative effect on your mental health, we recommend taking a break from those damaging mindsets so you can take care of you! Find yourself people that uplift, encourage and even inspire you! You don’t have to ditch everyone who has ever had a negative attitude {it happens to the best of us}, but if you’re starting to feel down, reach out to those who know how to nurture, create their own happiness, and share it freely! If you spend time around these people then you’ll find yourself feeling and seeing differently.
Ask for Help
There is nothing wrong with asking for help, and when you do ask, that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you. Everyone needs help at different points in a day, week, or lifetime. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, down, or just not yourself, reach out to friends and family. Tell them you haven’t been feeling well and open up that honest line of communication. Doing so will help you and those closest to you to find ways to alleviate problems. Asking for help doesn’t necessarily mean seeking professional help, but it might be a good idea if you believe your condition is serious. No matter the situation, asking for help will improve your mental health at the start of this new year.
10 Simple Ways to Improve Your Mental Health
Express More Gratitude
In the middle of stress and burnout, it can seem impossible to focus on “the good” that’s happening around you. Saying thank-you and showing appreciation actually does more good than we realize! Gratitude literally shifts your attention away from toxic emotions, like envy or resentment, and improves mental health. In fact, some studies show that expressing gratitude helps you experience positive emotions that serve a protective function and actually build resilience towards stressful events. How cool is that? If we express more gratitude, not only do we focus on those silver linings, but we actually build resilience against future stressors. We recommend getting on top of this one, whether it be through a gratitude journal or saying thank you more!
Make Sleep a Priority
With all that we have going on, we all struggle to get 7-9 hours of sleep. Sometimes we’re lucky to get 4 or 5 hours! However, being sleep deprived only increases our emotional and psychological problems. To improve mental health and avoid burnout, we recommend getting the type of sleep that is restful and ensures energy for the day ahead. Sometimes that doesn’t mean getting 9 hours of sleep, so you’ll have to figure out what works for you. Try to incorporate habits into your life that will help you get better sleep, like meditation, exercise, balanced eating, or eliminating caffeine. You could also try keeping your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet. Whatever works best for you, do what you need to so that you can get some quality shuteye.
Ditch Bad Habits
Whether it’s poor posture, guilt, or overuse of social media, do what you have to do to ditch bad habits that are causing you distress. Bad habits may be sucking the joy right out of your life, and you can achieve a better frame of mind by changing your ways. Life is meant to be lived and enjoyed, so stand up straight, forgive yourself and others, and take a social media fast! Ditching bad habits takes work, time, and re-commitment but with practice and determination you can conquer them and improve your mental health!
Do More of What Makes You Happy
It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle of New Year's resolutions, or get overwhelmed by the stress of having to do it all. It’s also easy to identify the things that you actually enjoy doing! If you like taking pictures of your meals, do more of it! Enjoy listening to crime podcasts? Schedule more time for them! Whatever it is in life that makes you happy, commit to doing those things as often as you can.
We hope these 10 ways of improving your mental health has given you peace of mind and hope for stress-relief. Be proud of all you’re doing for the new year, but take care of yourself! We love you and know you can do hard things. What other ways have helped you improve your mental health? Let us know in the comments below! 
xoxo, 
Kortni Jeane + Team 

0 comments

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published