3 Calming Tips for Enhancing Mental Health
By Genevieve Cunningham
There are fewer things worse for our mental health than constant chaos. Sometimes the chaos is something out of our control, and other times we create our own chaos. Whichever the case is for you, it’s important to protect your mental health through times of adversity and disorder. But how? Luckily, it may all be in your approach to everyday life. Take a look at these three calming tips for boosting mental health no matter what’s going on in your life.
Learning to Meditate is a Good Thing
Contrary to popular belief, meditation is not just for hippies and old souls. In fact, research has shown that meditation is incredibly beneficial to every person, no matter age or background. It allows the body and mind to rest and relax, and can even lower blood pressure and heart rate. To being this habit, all you need is about five minutes and a place where you won’t be interrupted. Sit quietly, allow your thoughts to flow through your mind, and take deep breaths. Practice for one minute, and then slowly increase to longer amounts of time.
Practice Choosing Your Emotions
Believe it or not, you can actually choose the way that you feel. If you want to feel mad, you will. If you want to feel happy, you will. But few people understand that this is actually a choice that they can make rather than something that happens to them. If you need to remain calm to protect your mental health, practice choosing your emotions during challenging moments every day. They ran out of fries at your favorite restaurant? Choose to let it go and pick something else. Traffic is making you crazy? Choose to embrace the time to yourself. While this will be incredibly difficult in the beginning, it will get easier and easier until it’s almost second nature.
Talk to Yourself in the Right Tone
Talking to yourself is completely normal. We all do this. If you want to really protect your mental health, the key is to talk to yourself in the right way. Don’t allow your own inner tone of voice to snap, sound demeaning, or add to the chaos. Deliberately speak to yourself in a calm and relaxed manner. Take deep breaths and talk yourself out of bad situations. This will be another step that requires practice and patience, but if you can ever master the technique, you’ll find improved mental health and happiness in your life.
Though we can’t control everything that happens in our lives, we can control the way that we react. Use these tips to manage your own emotions and to protect your mental health every day. You may find that your life feels happier and more productive with just a few minor changes to your daily mental habits.
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