4 Ways to Take Control of Your Mental Health Today!
By: Nesto Rivas
Tags: Mental Health Awareness, Wellness, Mental Health, Wellbeing, Psychology

4 Ways to Take Control of Your Mental Health Today!

Photo by dorota dylka on Unsplash

Life is a never-ending cycle of things to do. We bounce from one event to another. Often, fighting for the time to even take an unbothered breath. It can be overwhelming, and if not careful, the stress of life can start impacting aspects of our life and inadvertently those around us. It is not uncommon for us to bottle up the emotional baggage of our days and allow them to pile up in the corner, hoping one day it does not erupt. In most cases, we are too late to recognize when our mental state has gone astray. It is imperative that we strive to maintain a quality of mind to handle all of life’s unpredictability. It starts with you.

Mindfulness

Yes, ole reliable mindfulness! It’s touted as the miracle panacea for all mental ailments, but I believe we have forgotten the real benefit being mindful allows us. That component boiled down to its essence is s p a c e.

Picture this; someone cuts you off in traffic. You feel the boiling rage of several volcanoes erupt. Your chest begins to tighten, your face might even feel a surge of heat, and you’re left with the urge to throw up a couple of notable fingers.

We’ve all been there, maybe some more than others. Now, at this moment, you’re on your way to work. This extraordinary event happens only 5 minutes before your arrival, where you have multiple deadlines and a vast amount of responsibilities awaiting you. You arrive at work, still seething, and eventually, some poor soul will inadvertently feel the effects of your morning commute for no other reason then being close to you. Now isn’t that a tragedy?

It doesn’t always have to be this way!

Here are some resources I recommend beginning with:

If you’re like me… a skeptic here is some research to showcase the wide range of benefits mindfulness can have in your life.

Research:

“Forces beyond your control can take everything you posses except one thing, your freedom to choose how to respond to a situation”- Viktor Frankl

Negative Visualization

At first glance, this might appear to be a morbid practice, but I assure you it can be quite beneficial. This practice is pulled from stoic origins and can be utilized in any one’s life in under 2 minutes tops. You don’t need to open a scroll to get the benefits. This is only intended to last mere minutes not a point of rumination and fixation.

First, visualize something in your life that is important to you. It can be your family, friends, or even your job. Then pick one and imagine that you’ve received a call that one of your family members is ill, your friends have moved away, or even you’ve received an email saying you’ve lost your job. Allow your mind to tailor the detail of the events and make it real. Now, snap back to the present moment, and you will notice your gratitude that none of those things have happened.

It’s a practice that forces us to break the loop of the hedonic treadmill. At one point in your life, you wanted everything you have currently, and now you want more things in your life. This practice forces you to appreciate what you have now.

Journaling

Maybe in your teenage years, you had a diary you kept tucked away from society. It was a sacred place where you could let out all your fears, thoughts, and worries without any fear of judgment. If you have never journaled or used a diary this might be an opportunity to minimize all your worries and fears by putting them on paper.

Journaling allows you the s p a c e to throw out all the endless rambling of your mind onto an object. When you begin to journal it forces you to process and contextualize the information. Trying writing for 5 minutes a day on whatever comes to mind. If it’s current problems in your life spend as much time as you need. You’ll come to notice over time this venting act will make your problems appear more manageable.

Exercise

Consult your doctor before taking this tidbit of advice!

Sometimes our problems cannot be solved with more thinking. If you’re like me a chronic overthinker this just might be the antidote you need to break free of your thoughts! Your brain will have no time to worry while exercising as it’ll be preoccupied with getting as much airflow in as possible. Often we forget how massively important our physical well-being can be to our mental health.

If you have spent the last 4 weeks feeling miserable and during this time you’ve been the perfect couch potato I’d bet those two are connected in some way or another.

Let those endorphins run wild with a brisk walk, or jog! It can be as little as 15 minutes even, just do something. Our ancestors were hunters and gatherers and now the majority of our day is spent in front of screens. We are messing with our physiology by not making use of our bodies. Exercise is so powerful that this Harvard study claims it can be just as effective as clinical anti-depressants. It can help neural growth, improve well-being, sleep, self-esteem and so much more. Move your body!

Take-Home

Experiment with these four tricks! Find what really works for you and really give it a chance. It can take longer than thirty days to build a habit, but you have a lifetime of being with yourself so now is the time to put your well-being first and make the changes. The results will reveal themselves!