Maintaining your mental wellness is crucial for a healthy and happy life, I learned this the hard way (you can read all about it in my new book that is coming out next month*).
Investing in your mental health is something that needs to happen daily. It can’t just be a resolution you take at the beginning of the year or start on a Monday. You also can’t wait for all the conditions around you to be perfect to start a healthy daily routine. Just get started!
It took me a while to optimize my mental wellness toolkit. It was trial and error at first to see what worked for me and what didn’t. There’s no one-size-fits-all, so you must find what works for you.
- Learning how to rest: Developing the habit of “relaxed productivity” throughout the day can help to reduce stress and anxiety. Taking short breaks throughout the day, walking, or doing a quick breathing exercise can help you relax and recharge. Focus on what’s in front of you, and remember, if what you are worrying about now will not be relevant in five years, give it five minutes and LET IT GO!
- Meditation and prayer: Taking time every day, especially in the morning, to be mindful through prayer or meditation has made a huge difference in my life. It’s the one daily practice that I can’t go without. There’s something so special about committing to a spiritual connection. Mornings work best for me, although I know everyone is different.
- Managing social media time: Social media addiction can adversely affect mental health. It’s a rabbit hole that is hard to escape once you have climbed in. Spending too much time on social media means that nasty, old habits creep in – like comparing myself to others, a remnant of the Old Gary and how I used to live. Setting limits on social media use and avoiding excessive screen time can help you maintain a healthy balance in your life.
- Appreciating others: Every day, there are opportunities to praise others and show your appreciation. Expressing gratitude for others makes that day easier, no matter how things are going (for you or them). Remember, you don’t know what anyone else is going through – your smile or words of kindness could be just what they need to get through the day.
- What are you saying? Watching your inner dialogue and keeping negative thought patterns out of the center position as you think throughout the day can help you maintain a positive mindset. Visualizing positive outcomes can also help you stay motivated and focused on your goals. Have fun with your dreams, folks. This doesn’t all have to feel like work!
- Get out of your head and into your heart: Pay attention to your feelings. It’s easy to get stuck in our heads, especially when something triggers a negative feeling. Can you feel it fully and learn from what happened? Embracing and learning from your emotions can help you develop emotional intelligence and resilience.
- Thinking of Others: Most of my issues came from being too self-focused and selfish. My thoughts were all about me! When I turned that around and focused on others instead, my fears, worries, resentments, and anxiety seemed to vanish. By focusing on others, I quit being selfish and became much happier. I call it the Freedom Paradox – the more we give, the more we receive.
- Be Kind: When nothing goes right, and you’ve had a bad day, just be kind to yourself and others. We all mess up. We are imperfectly human, and giving ourselves a break is okay. Dust yourself off and try again tomorrow.
A mental health toolkit is a proactive and empowering way to manage your mental health. Incorporating these habits into your daily routine can help you maintain a healthy balance in your life, reduce stress, and make you easier to be around. Just ask my wife!
*My book The Success Paradox: How to Surrender and Win in Business and in Life is published by Forbes Books and will be released in June, but you can already check out the first chapter on garyccooper.com.
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