We have been hearing and talking and reading about mental health everyday, Here are some goals you can set for yourself to prioritize your mental well-being. It explains how these options can be tailored to each person’s needs/likes, as well as why they are beneficial to mental health.
4 Mental Health Goals For You To Start Today
Setting mental health goals is a great way to prioritize taking care of your body and mind. Objectives are effective ways to increase motivation, as they give you concrete targets to venture towards and get enthusiastic about. By tending to your mental well-being, you can decrease your anxiety and depression while simultaneously improving your overall mood. Remember, mental health is just as important as physical health! It’s essential to be in tune with your feelings to know when you may need to take a break or seek support.
1. Make Time For Yourself
When life gets busy, it becomes more crucial than ever to set aside a few minutes for yourself every day. Whether it is half an hour or a quick two minutes, make it a habit to pencil this time into your schedule! Self-care gives us the time to reflect, slow down, and increase our positive thinking. There are many ways to practice self-care, but be careful — not everything works for everyone. Don’t be afraid to experiment to discover what works for you. Some common examples of daily self-care include meditation, journaling, walking, reading, or simply finding time to be alone. Take a moment to breathe deeply and reflect on how you are feeling. This alone time is a great way to check in on yourself and assess your mental health.
2. Set Boundaries
One of the best goals for improving mental health is to practice setting boundaries for yourself. This means learning when to say “yes” and “no”, depending on how you are feeling and what you are comfortable with. By learning and remembering to say “no” to things that will cause you stress or overextend you, you will be establishing boundaries that contribute to your own mental health. On the other hand, don’t be afraid to say “yes” every once in a while! It’s important not to allow your fears to dictate your decisions. Say “yes” to opportunities and experiences that you actually want to do, and you might be surprised by how much you can expand your horizons. Just remember to prioritize your mental health first. If something doesn’t feel right, or if you don’t like it and feel as though you are overextending yourself, it’s always okay to change your mind halfway through. The important part is that you gave yourself the opportunity to try it!
3. Treat Your Body Right
While this may fall under physical health, exercise and nutrition play a significant role in maintaining proper mental health. Exercise has been shown to relieve stress, have a positive impact on depression and anxiety, and improve one’s overall mood. When setting fitness goals, it’s important to be realistic and think long-term. Whether it is yoga or boxing, try to find a way to move your body a little bit every day. You don’t have to craft an extensive workout plan — even as little as 15 to 30 minutes of moderate movement each day can lead to positive results. Similar to exercise, the foods you feed your body can highly impact your brain’s function according to Harvard Health. Multiple studies have found that diets high in refined sugar are linked to impaired brain function and a worsening in mood disorders. A healthy nutrition plan will look different for everyone, but a few simple ways to prioritize properly fueling your body can include eating home-cooked meals, practicing mindful eating, and limiting the amount of processed or refined foods in your diet.
4. Ask For Help
Although asking for help can seem tremendously scary, reaching out to someone when you are struggling is often the best decision you can make. You may feel uncomfortable at first, but it is important to let others know if you’re hurting to obtain the support you need. Talking with a trusted adult — such as a parent, sibling, or coach — is a great place to start. But another fantastic method of seeking support is to find yourself a check-in buddy. Ask a friend to text you every morning or night to check in on how you’re doing, and you can do the same for them. You can even practice self-care together by texting each other one thing you did to care for yourself that day. If you can’t find one of these options or if they aren’t helpful, consider seeking out a hotline or a counsellor. Finding a counsellor that's right for you has a myriad of benefits. Counsellors are trained professionals in mental health, and will be able to help you assess how you are feeling so that you can get back on the right track. Moreover, they are there to talk about whatever is on your mind, and support you in finding long-term solutions for any problems that you may be experiencing. They can assist you in creating your personal mental health goals, and establish plans that will make these goals achievable.