5 Tips!

It just turned midnight, going onto Tuesday the 29^th of September. The week started yesterday, although it is still “today” as I am still up and I (and I think a lot of others) don’t think it is really another day until you go to bed and wake up. Or it feels that way. That isn’t the point though…

Today has been a good day, a great start to the week for me. When you live with things like chronic illnesses, mental illnesses, and other difficult things- and even in general- it is always good when the start to a week, like a Monday, are good. For some it is the beginning of a work week, for others maybe their “weekend”, for kids it may be the beginning of the school week, and maybe it really is just another day for others. 

As it has been such a good day and my mind is in a brighter, more positive space where it thinks a bit better, I want to take some time to list some things that may help anyone who struggles- my focus would be with mental health- but it could be in general too. Maybe someone might stumble upon this blog and this might help a tiny bit. Plus, I can always look back on this too. I figure there are never too many good and positive resources! 

Here are my 5 tips for those with struggles

1. Feed Your Soul

Do something daily, or at least multiple times throughout the week that feed your soul, that just make you feel good. Currently, watching “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!” on television during the evening is something that is feeding my soul, that really lifts my spirts and is making me happy. Even if it is only for a while and in a month or two it doesn’t, it does now so I am making sure I set that time aside to enjoy that. For you, it could be something else: reading, doing some creative art project, gardening, sewing, the list goes on. Even if you take 5 minutes and do a little of an activity that warms you from the inside out, it will help in the moment which can hopefully add up as you find things that feed your soul and continue to do them. All part of good self-care if you want to classify it as that.

2. Make Your Bed 

If there is one thing I have come to learn this year as I am focusing more and more on improving my mental health, it is that making my bed has made a huge difference! I have read it multiple times and heard it as well but didn’t really believe much in making my bed. I sure do now! Making my bed whenever I wake up, even if I sleep in after a late night and don’t get up until past noon, I will still make my bed as one of the first things I do, even if I don’t have the energy to. Why? A. It is always a comfort and cozy feeling to crawl into a nicely made bed at night after a long day rather than just getting into a bed that’s all a mess from the night before. You don’t get that added feel of comfort. B. You are accomplishing at least 1 task every day, making your bed, and C. Accomplishing that 1 task can make it easier to accomplish something else in your day, it is a motivational tool without really realizing it

3. Limit The Social Media/ News

I’d say this one depends on the person and current world events, but I have found that limiting the amount I am on social media and limiting what news I follow helps. Too often social media can be full of negativity, arguing, stressful, causes anxiety and could really be bringing you down so much as you mind numbingly scroll through your feeds. If you notice that you have been scrolling through your social media and more time than you thought passed by, try to put that phone down- even in another room, even if only for an hour to get your head clear and by then you will probably be busy with other tasks anyways. Same with limiting your news intake. We are always bombarded with news (often through social media) but also on the tv and different news apps. How often is news positive and uplifting? Not very often. Having those apps constantly sending you notifications of news stories will drag you down as you read negative headline after negative headline. Try turning off those notifications, try not to have the news show up on your social media feed- you can adjust both of these settings on your phone. I know I tend to try and look at what news sources I follow in the morning and evening, I tend not to look throughout the day because it lowers my mood, I feel depressed with all the yucky news out there, unless there is something specific I am looking for and interested in.

4. Catch Your Thoughts and Re-frame Them

This one is from therapy peeps: Every day we have thousands and thousands of thoughts passing through our brains. However, too often, much of those thoughts are negative and about your own self!! What good do negative thoughts about one’s self do? No good, that’s what! We can be walking down the sidewalk, trip and lose our footing and recover in a matter of seconds and think, “I am so clumsy” or “that was stupid of me” without realizing those thoughts, repeating in your mind, are only bringing you down. Take that same frame of mind and change to a bigger event. You make a mistake at work and you must talk with your boss or supervisor. Chances are you are going to think something along the lines of, “I always make mistakes” or “I am not good enough for this job” or my favorite, “I am a failure” and thinking those things over and over isn’t good for you one bit. In that example, if you catch yourself thinking something like, “I always make mistakes” stop yourself. You can literally tell yourself to stop. Then take a more accurate look at that statement- yes, people make mistakes, that is part of being human, but are you actually always making mistakes? Big, terrible, tear yourself down mistakes? Doubtful. Instead, after stopping that negative thought and looking at it with a full, more accurate perspective, reframe it with a more accurate thought, “I made a mistake but… also have accomplished a lot” and “…have done this or that at work” or “I made a mistake but may not have known or been provided with the proper knowledge, training or equipment to have avoided a mistake and can fix it and move forward in a better way.” We should really be building ourselves up by trying to stop those negative thoughts, look at them in a more accurate way and state them to where you are learning and not bringing yourself down!

5. Positivity and Thankfulness

Don’t brush this aside yet if you are struggling and think it is just going to be a “be positive and things will be better”  and “just be thankful for what you have because things could be so much worse” because that is far from how things work and is so minimizing to your own struggles. If being positive and being thankful for things was the key to wellness things would be so much better. However, even a little positivity and thinking of things we are thankful for can go a long way. And it is okay that there will be days when being positive and thankful just isn’t going to go with how you are feeling and that is okay! When you are struggling, having a bad day, being positive and being thankful isn’t exactly something you are jumping on but taking a moment and trying to focus on them, even just one small one can help. And eventually, when you start trying to see even the small positives, you may notice your general outlook going from a more cynical outlook to a more positive outlook which may help- it is still important to be realistic at the same time though. And being aware of things you are thankful for can spin a new light onto things. Start by thinking of 3 positives and things you are thankful for each day and write it down each night for a week. Even if, for example, you write that seeing your animal when you come home is a positive and something you are thankful for, every day and then 2 other different things, they will add up. And like I said, small positives add up too. I can think of multiple things that are positive from today and that I am thankful for: I am thankful for my water bottle and ice because I dislike warm water and my water bottle keeps my water ice cold for hours and hours! A positive today was that I was able to watch some tv that I really enjoy, that I can listen to music. I am thankful for my air condition and fan to keep me cool. I am thankful for people in my life. A positive from today was getting to sleep in some. Don’t force the positivity or worry if you have the same things you are thankful for because just a little bit of recognizing those things go a long way.

Those are just 5 tips, there are others that I have, and I am sure others have as well that may help you when you are struggling. But, if just one of those things help, I am glad! And I know that next time I am struggling, and I may be doing a blog entry or need a reminder of what I can do to help myself, I can look at this. Not only can I read my own advice but feel the warmth and genuine caring and understanding that come from these words as it came from someone who understands what it is like to struggle. Today was a good day, a great start to the week but next Monday could be different and this is a good reminder.

Have a good week yourself.

Daks