09 Apr Here Are 5 Low-Lift Ways to Boost Mental Health
No one can be, or should anyone expect to be happy all the time.
But in good times and bad, there’s always something we can do to enjoy more happiness and to boost our mental health and wellbeing.
What this is, exactly, will differ for different people; and even for the same person at different times.
That being said, there are some generic strategies we can all use, in our own way, to enjoy more happiness and less distress …
via Inverse by Sarah Sloat
If you found the last three years exhausting to the point of feeling emotionally tapped out, you are not alone. Millions of people had mental health issues before Covid-19 arrived on the world stage in 2020, but the pandemic exacerbated these problems and brought new mental health challenges to the fore for many more. But there is a silver lining: The stigma around talking about one’s mental health is lessening. And people are increasingly asking for support.
More often than not, people know what will help their mental health, but struggle with how to do it, Fallon Goodman, an assistant professor of psychology at George Washington University, explains to Inverse.
For some, traditional mental health services like therapy and support groups are helpful. But there are other lower-lift, overlooked, and accessible actions you can take that can boost your well-being now, enabling you to take that first step along your mental health journey or support yourself through more specialized treatment.
This is where habit-building comes into play, Goodman says. The more we commit to daily habits built around small actions, the more likely we are to see the payoffs, she says.
“You can’t exactly buy happiness, but you can build it,” says Goodman.
FIVE SIMPLE THINGS TO TRY THAT CAN IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH

5. Try journaling
“If you find yourself overthinking, it’s likely that you’re putting more mental effort into solving a problem than you need to,” says Joel Minden, a clinical psychologist.
“Whether it’s ruminating over past setbacks, worrying about a future threat, or trying to remember all that you need to do — if you’re spending more than a few minutes doing mental work like this, there’s a good chance it’s unproductive,” he explains.
Instead, it’s more helpful to take your thoughts and express them in writing, which studies show can help people manage their worries.
Minden explains that expressive writing can help you clarify thoughts, identify potential solutions, or come to terms with things you can’t change.
He says a good way to start is by identifying a goal, like an upcoming challenge or internal conflict you want to solve. Then list “all the thoughts you’ve been kicking around in your mind.” Consider what you want to accomplish — and write until you’ve run out of concerns and plans to solve them. Don’t be afraid of revisiting these thoughts if you find yourself wrapped up in them again — you can always write some more.
“This strategy of replacing overthinking with writing is a nice way of setting a personal boundary on the time and energy you devote to mental work,” Minden says. “This can be particularly helpful if mental noise makes it hard for you to focus on other tasks.”
… keep reading the full & original article HERE