5 easy ways to boost your mental health

5 easy ways to boost your mental health

via Forbes by Noma Nazish

As 2019 begins, it’s time to reflect on the past and set goals for the year ahead.

But before you decide to (finally) quit smoking or eat less sugar, why not consider investing in your mental health as well?

This year, resolve to implement these five simple strategies to improve your mental health and happiness:

  • Be kind to yourself. Don’t be so hard on yourself that you forget to enjoy the life you have. Whenever you find yourself ruminating, refocus your attention toward all the things you have, goals you’ve already accomplished and people who love and support you. Know that we all make mistakes and setbacks of any kind are part of the learning process. Research suggests that constant self-criticism and perfectionism doesn’t just increase stress but can also hamper productivity and spur mental illnesses like depression and eating disorders. The key is to be more self-accepting and have realistic goals and expectations in life. Also, make time for yourself no matter how jam-packed your schedule is. Take regular breaks to unwind and invest in self-care. In addition, surround yourself with people who support and inspire you. And let go of toxic relationships that leave you mentally and emotionally drained. Here’s a great post on how to cultivate self-compassion.
  • Meditate: There’s no dearth of scientific evidence to highlight the numerous health benefits of meditation. Besides staving off stress, it sharpens focusimproves moodboosts memory and promotes sleep. What’s more, it might even be better than taking a vacation! Meditating for as little as ten minutes every morning is enough to reap its benefits. There are quite a few types of meditation practices to choose from, including mindfulness meditation, walking meditation and transcendental meditation. Here’s a helpful article on how to choose the one that’s best for you…

…keep reading the full & original article HERE