5 Tips for Mental Health!
Let go. Let go of the past, any resentment you have, any “what ifs” you have. Anything. Live in the present and don’t spend so much time thinking about the past.
I’ve wasted a lot of time overthinking about the past and it was just so … unnecessary. Do I really think my ex gave me a second thought after we ended things? Not really, and definitely not to the extent that I analyzed our relationship for his flaws! Sometimes, overthinking and analyzing the past re-opens your wounds and you get hurt again (and again… and again…)
Stop comparing. There will always be someone better than you but also someone worse than you. Comparing is a fruitless endeavor! If you must compare, do it for the purpose of bettering yourself. Like “Wow, I love Shay Mitchell’s make-up. She’s so pretty. What products or makeup techniques does she use, so I can try on myself?” or “This girl got a full-ride scholarship. What does she have for experience? Maybe one of her experiences is something that would be relevant for me and can help my professional career.”
Truthfully, I’ve learned that each person in my grad program has something that obviously shined in the eyes of admissions committee and got them in here. It may not be obvious to me as an outsider, but I can’t keep comparing. We’re all at the same school, aren’t we? And funding wise, too. I got a pretty good chunk of $ and I need to stop comparing!
Stop surrounding yourself in toxicity. If you have a relative who is toxic or is negative or you always feel DRAINED after your interaction with them repeatedly, then that’s a sign they need to be O U T of your lives (or realistically, reduced interactions). Same with friends. Same with coworkers. This is probably the most important part of this whole “bettering yourself” vibe. How can you get better if the people around you constantly drag you down?
For the people who you can’t just cut off contact, I reduce contact. I stop sharing anything that’s particularly important to them. (God knows I have an older sister who uses anything and everything I say to her as ammunition in arguments.) I share boring stuff only. Safe stuff. Small talk. Act cordial but not BFFs. Stonewall them. Minimal contact. They might say you’re cold and standoffish, but who the fuck cares? Mental health matters and you don’t need to share every single thing with every single person in your lives. I’ve learned it’s best to confide in only a couple people.
Make time for “you time.” If you’re busy at work or school, still try to carve out some time where the goal is just to relax you. Maybe grab a solo lunch with yourself at your favorite place, maybe binge on Netflix for a teeny bit, maybe treat yourself to a spa day. Whatever relaxes you - you deserve it!
If I’m really stressed out, my body will show it. I will breakout on my face. I get easily irritated. I will have dark bags under my eyes. I have to remind myself that I need to take deep breaths and not to let my body “feel” stressed because I don’t want my body to “show” signs of stress. Because god knows it takes forever (seemingly) for a pimple to clear up! And even longer if I pick at it and it scars… I reason with myself, “Do I want to have a breakout on my face that might last longer than my stress freak-out period?!” I think not!
Learn what your triggers are and try to remedy it. For example, one of my triggers to anxiety is feeling overwhelmed with my workload. But if I get better at planning my workload and being honest and transparent with myself, it eases my mind. I recently bought a Passion Planner that is coming tomorrow!
Mental health is a very important thing. PLEASE take active steps to make sure you feel okay! What are your tips for ensuring good mental health?
