
Investing in Yourself: Mental Health (6)
I haven’t done an Investing in Yourself post in a long, long time. But with the news of Kate Spade’s death last week, apparently at her own hands, I felt compelled to leave the fun & frilly posts for another week and raise a red flag on matters of mental health. Because caring for your mental health is another major way of investing in yourself.
Now before we even get started, a little disclaimer!
I am no specialist when it comes to mental health, nor am I claiming to possess a universal solution for everyone’s problems. But having suffered through bouts of depression (of my own and of dear, close people in my life), and having overcome an eating disorder in my teenage years, I can at least share my experiences and tips with you all, in the hopes that they will in any way help anyone.
So first things first:
Be truthful with yourself
This is the number one thing you need to do, and I recognize it is sometimes the hardest. But admitting to yourself that you do indeed have a problem is actually pretty great!
Yep, you read that right!
Because now you can start working towards FIXING it.
Anorexia, depression, burnout, anxiety are all real, palpable things. And accepting they are real may feel like bumping into something weird inside your house at night- strange, unfamiliar, terrifying. But it is there, and you need to uncover it and take control.
Reach out to someone
Be it your spouse, your parents, your teachers if you are still in school, your friends or a close colleague, you need to reach out and speak up.
Because look:
Isolating yourself and believing that you are the only person dealing with these issues, that you are a loser, not worthy of love, help or attention will only make matters worse. That is a fact.
And if you don’t feel like you can even reach out to someone, but they are reaching out to you, let them. Do yourself a favor and let them in, to whichever degree you feel comfortable with.
The warmth and understanding of another human being can work wonders.
Seek professional help
And speaking of reaching out to someone, you may find that a mental health professional can help you immensely. With so many psychologists, life coaches and psychotherapists out there, you can find one suited to your particular needs.
Now, very important to remember:
Not all doctors are specialized in the same afflictions. So don’t expect them to have a cookie-cutter, easy and quick solution regardless of your issue. Do your research and don’t be afraid to try a couple until you find yours.
Make a list of everything good in your life
This may sound like the silliest thing ever, but it works so well! Repeatedly thinking of all the good things that you have going for you- be it your health, your family, your loving partner, a pet, or just the city you’re living in- and being grateful for them has magical powers over your mental wellbeing.
And the best way to review these things?
Writing them down so you can see them whenever!
Create a soothing routine
Think of a few things you can incorporate in your day to day routine, that will make you feel calmer and happier. It can be a few minutes of morning meditation, a quick walk in the park after work, taking a bubble bath or listening to some music.
What works for me?
Giving myself 10-15 minutes in the morning to enjoy my coffee and a magazine, or a few blog posts after breakfast. This time I get to myself feels like a real treat, and helps me gather myself before the work day begins.
It’s my own little morning ritual.
Mental health is something we should all take seriously, and issues related to it are not a shame or a stigma. I truly hope this post helped you in any way, shape or form, and I’m looking forward to hearing how you are caring for your mental balance!
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9 Comments
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Davona
Really needed this. So many people suffer in silence. It is so important to understand that when you are suffering from depression that you know you’re not alone. Also creating a soothing routine is really important to get through the tough days. I used watch the news in the morning as i was getting dressed fir work and it really started affecting my mood. I had to create a better routine because i was dealing with burnout at work and it was already tough get out of bed. Thank you so much for this post.
mystyle5
Thank you, Davona! I’m so glad this post resonated with you. I can understand what you mean with the news, it can be pretty burdening, and can indeed throw you off for the day. Thanks again for stopping by, and hope to see you back 🙂
Cristina Alciati
Being able to spot that all is not well with your mental health is very important. I usually start with my diet and cut out natural depressants like alcohol and caffeine until I got to the bottom of what’s been bothering me. Also, I pay attention to what goes on my plate and make sure I stick to fresh produce and healthy sources of protein, cutting out refined sugars.
My favourite tip is having a soothing routine, it’s always good to treat yourself like a queen!
mystyle5
That is so very true, Cristina- what you eat can help immensely with your mood (just as it can harm it). I always find that excess sugar and fat gives me a happy boost for a little while, and then makes me feel horrible long term, so I now try to stick to food that will boost my endorphins long term 🙂
Tara
Great Post, it is so important to invest in your mental health. Making a list of the good things in your life is great and you can refer back to it too. Thanks for sharing!
mystyle5
Thank you too, Tara! I’m glad the post resonated with you <3
BitterSweet
Great post, loved your advice’s and I will definitely want to implement the last one. Also, I missed your Investing in yourself series, glad to see it back. :-*
mystyle5
Thanks so much, love! Will keep it up <3