Sound Mental Health Tips

As you may know, every year October 10th is World Mental Health Day. It's the day of the year to remind us all of mental health issues around the world and increase our efforts in supporting those around us, who are going through difficult times, including ourselves. The theme for this year's World Mental Health Day, set by the World Federation for Mental Health, is "Psychological first aid and the support people can provide to those in distress", so, we thought we would share some tips on how to take good care of your mental health. Try them out and see for yourself their mental wellbeing benefits and their rewarding effects in your lives... Just like physical health, mental health is an important part of our overall wellbeing. To find that "balance", we should exert ourselves to be mentally fit, as much as physically fit (we look forward to seeing many of you for your respective company's well-being day events this month to celebrate this Mental Health reminder.)

"No one can give wellbeing to you. It's you who has to take action" by Sarah Stewart-Brown, well-being expert & professor of public health at Warwick University

1. We are what we eat!

Take care of your body... we are what we eat! How we feel physically has a direct impact on us mentally. How can we feel good mentally, if something is not right physically? So be sure to eat nutritious meals, drink plenty of water, exercise, and have enough sleep.

2. Be active

Do activities that you enjoy. Get into sports, dance, sing, draw, swim, spend hours in the gym or what have you. Just do something that you love and you'll see happiness in its deepest sense.

3. Keep learning

As they say, life is a never-ending learning process. If you're good at cooking, why not try baking. Learn a new instrument, discover a new hobby, travel, explore, etc. Just don't stop learning! It's good for our mental wellbeing because it doesn't just boost our self-esteem but also gives us a feeling of purpose in life, as well as hope.

4. Set yourself goals

Set yourself goals by planning and deciding what you want to accomplish. It can be academically, professionally, or on a personal level. Make it easier to achieve by breaking-up big goals into smaller milestones, so to make a success of it. By achieving these goals, you'll acquire a sense of self-worth, knowing that you're on your way towards that goal.

5. Connect with others

And by connection, we mean encircling yourself with good people. We live in a societal world, and as humans, it's our nature to yearn for connections. So go ahead! Pick up the phone, meet up with old friends and new ones, build networks, develop relationships, keep in touch with your loved ones, and don't be afraid to reach out.

6. It's good to Give!

It feels good to do good! Simple gestures like a smile, saying thank you, or a kind word can move mountains, even more so if it's something larger like charity work or being a community volunteer. Studies show that these actions, may they be small or large, create positive feelings. Giving to others makes us feel good and happier.

7. Manage stress

We all experience stress. Whether we like it or not, it's part of being human. We can't avoid it, but there are ways on how to deal with it. Take a break, relax, meditate, have a massage, exercise, walk, sing, dance around, connect to others, etc. There's no such thing as we can't do anything about it. Think out of the box. Be optimistic and make it a habit to always see the brighter side of life.

Good to Read: Try These Quick and Easy Stress Management Tips

8. Value yourself

As by the lyrics of "The Greatest Love of All" by Whitney Houston "Learning to love yourself, is the greatest love of all". We all deserve it. It's not about being conceited, it's about self-worth. It's accepting who we are and realizing that we deserve great things in life.

9. Be mindful

It means 'awareness' of your overall self in the present moment. It's being able to underst|;8and ourselves better and knowing clearly our thoughts and emotions as they happen in real-time. It's what they called "living in the now". In this way, we can view life positively, thus, improving our mental wellbeing.

10. Ask for help

Do not hesitate to ask for help, especially when you most need it. It's okay, just reach out if you feel like it's all tumbling down. It may seem like a weakness, but it's actually a strength. You'll see that by having the courage to ask for assistance, you're also doing others a favour by giving them a chance to show that they're there and that they care. A chance to make a difference as well as teaching them to ask help themselves.