In our daily life, we prioritize many important things in order to meet the goals and dreams that we want to achieve. Among the important things are finishing work assignments, meeting our friends and lastly, taking care of our physical well-being. In fact, we often keep forgetting an important part of ourselves, which is the mental health and the mind.
The key nature of the mind is to think; it tends to jump from one thought to another which leads to constant worrying. One of the reasons that can make the mind worried is not knowing the future, or anything that awaits in that end. Peace Revolution monk LP John gives a solution of the theoretical nature of the worrying mind, which inquires: ”If one cannot control the unforeseeable result, then why worry? If one can control the foreseeable ending result, then why worry?” This theory has worked for me so far in calming the overthinking nature of my human mind.
The World Health Organization says that “mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”. So, it is safe to conclude that taking care of our mind can improve our mental health and encourage positive thinking, which influences positive human interactions.
Our mental health should be taken as an important part and element of our life because if taking care of the mind is neglected, many people will end up suffering from issues like, eating disorders, depression, anxiety disorders and mood disorders. Many countries have made mental health awareness an important issue that should not be left unattended. For instance, the UK has set dates from 10th May to 16th of May as the national Mental Health Awareness Week 2021. The World Health Organisation is not far behind by marking 10th of October as the Mental Health Day.
Hence, just like everyone I had to learn how to take care of my mental health to maintain a stable life balance and accomplish my goals and dreams. Below are the key guiding tips that have worked for me in maintaining a good and stable mental health and well-being.
TIPS TO A BETTER MENTAL HEALTH LIFESTYLE:
- Start prioritizing yourself by making time to improve your mental health in your diary;
- Create a new exercise and diet plan and stick to it;
- Work on reducing procrastination;
- Engage in volunteering programs and embrace giving back;
- Learn how to meditate.
1. Keeping a diary is a great way to keep track of your commitment to yourself by making sure you are making yourself a priority and dedicate a part of your day to improve your mental health. As it is commonly known, a new habit takes time to develop. If this creates difficulties, try joining the World Peace Initiative Foundation 42 days free online self-development program. It can help you settle in and cultivate a habit of taking care of your mental health through daily entries submitted in your Peace journal. Joining this program has helped me when I was once a Peace Rebel learning how to make time for my mental well-being through joining the daily guided meditation program by this organisation.
2. Create a diet and exercise plan and stick to it. For me, this has been a great way to feel good about myself by not neglecting my overall physical health. They say ”you are what you eat”. I took me time later in 2019 to change my diet, and I joined a gym the same year, something that I chose and decided to stick to. This decision has improved how I feel and think about myself. If you feel that you have neglected your physical well-being and are doing nothing to change or improve, this will be something that triggers negative thoughts within you, and only you can make that change by choosing to commit to improve. Eventually, this will make you feel good about yourself and trigger more positivity within you.
3. Work on reducing procrastination. In our daily life, we tend to plan things in order to achieve our goals and dreams. Some of those are, for example, pursuing a career, applying for a particular work position or advancing in education. The more we wait for things to happen on their own through destiny, the more it will lead to frustration and negativity in thinking. My essential tip is to get up and do it, chase that dream, apply for that job. Even if you do not achieve it, you will succeed in learning how to better win that opportunity next time. Knowledge is power.
4. Engage in volunteering programs. Giving back has an essential element in making one feel better. We want to be able to make a difference in someone’s life. It is something that has been therapeutic for me as I’m a passionate volunteer for many organisations. Talking to people who have more life difficulties than you are currently facing will make you appreciate life a bit more, feel more positive and better having the opportunity to help someone in need. Be that change that the world craves for.
5. Learn how to meditate. From my personal experience, meditation has changed my life. I started meditating after joining World Peace Initiative Foundation when I lost someone dear in my life which is my father. Meditation helped me maintain my mental health and well-being while at the same time achieving all the goals I had set for myself, including graduating from the university. I urge everyone to try to meditate or join different organisations that teach meditation, including any health clubs or societies. It is a step that will improve your life for the better and turn it into a life of better balance and self-control.
Meditation has many advantages but the most important of them is the ability to have control over one’s thoughts. As a result, avoiding negative thoughts will gradually become easier. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi: ”If you want to change the world, start with yourself.” Learning how to meditate is the key step to the right direction in making this world a better place and laying a foundation for better mental health.
If you want to start a journey towards yourself, join our online self-development program, and download our Mind stories app.