The past couple of years have been hard on everyone. While many people had high hopes that 2021 would be better than the year before, it quickly became clear that the pandemic wouldn’t end overnight. You may have also dealt with other challenges this year, such as being laid off, getting a divorce or losing a loved one. Being forced to constantly adapt to changing circumstances can take a toll on your mental health, but the upcoming year offers a new chance to improve your outlook on life. As you get ready to make your resolutions for the upcoming year, consider adding these five strategies to the list for improving your mental health.
Identify Any Underlying Mental Health Conditions
If you’ve been experiencing new or lingering changes in how you feel each day, then it is possible that you have a mental health condition such as depression or anxiety. Approximately one out of four adults has a diagnosable mental health condition, yet many people don’t even know it. Seeking out a diagnosis not only puts a name to what you are experiencing, but it can also help you to find a treatment that helps you manage your symptoms.
Create and Follow an Exercise Regimen
Lots of people establish a new fitness routine at the beginning of a new year to help them meet their weight-loss goals. However, you might want to focus more on working out for your mental health. Exercise jumpstarts your body’s production of hormones that improve your mood. Some of these hormones can even help to reverse the effects of stress on your ability to think clearly. If you’ve been experiencing brain fog, then going for a walk or jog could help you to clear the clouds from your mind.
Build a Stronger Support Network
No one should go through life alone, but many people found themselves isolated during the pandemic. If this happens to you, then you may need to make an effort to start reaching out. Sit down and create a list of several people that you can talk to when you are going through a difficult time. Ideally, you should have a mixture of different types of people that you can choose from depending upon the situation. For instance, you might want to find a mentor at work that you can turn to when your job is stressing you out. You can also go to online therapy Texas residents turn to for therapists who can help them learn how to manage their mental health conditions. Then, round out your list with the names of a couple of friends that you can always count on to make you smile.
Help Someone Else
Sometimes, reaching out to help others is all it takes to lift your mood. Volunteering offers you several benefits for improving your mental health. As you step into your role, you’ll develop new skills that help you to feel more confident. You’ll also find yourself being surrounded by other like minded people who all prefer to maintain a positive outlook. Seeing other people benefit from the skills and time that you have to offer elevates your self-esteem and gives you something to look forward to during the week.
Limit Your Time On Social Media
Have you noticed how you feel after you spend too much time browsing on social media? The next time that you start pursuing your favorite social media platforms, take a minute to focus on your physical and emotional reactions. If you notice that you feel tense reading people’s comments on the negative things that are happening in your community, then you might need to take a break. If you can’t seem to stay off of social media, then choose who you interact with wisely. Looking for people who post funny memes and positive quotes helps you to avoid getting pulled into a mentally draining loop of negativity.
Break Out of Your Comfort zone
Doing something new helps your brain to form stronger neural connections, and your confidence will soar as you develop new skills. Think about a few things that you’ve wanted to try over the years, and make a commitment to do at least one of them for a month. Whether you take ballroom dancing lessons or learn how to code, you’ll likely notice an improvement over the next several weeks. Establishing a new hobby also helps to keep your mind off of your problems, which helps you to feel better emotionally.
As you get started on your mental wellness journey this year, remember that healing doesn’t happen overnight. Instead, you’ll want to focus on making progress, even if it seems to happen slowly. With each change that you make, pay attention to how it makes you feel. In time, you’ll be able to look back at this new year with gratitude for the investment that you made in improving your mental health.