Spring into Better Mental Health Habits
Refreshing Your Mental Health & Wellness This Spring
Spring is around the bend, which signifies a time of change. What better time than now to give your mental health routine a refresh?
The experts at Tapestry are here to share some helpful tips and tricks to help give your mental health and wellness a boost this spring.
Change Your Perspective With Positivity
We’ve all heard the saying that we can speak things into existence, and there’s some truth to it. By making positive statements regularly, you can build a better and healthier self-image and overall relationship with yourself.
What are Positive Affirmations?
Affirmations are positive statements that challenge negative thoughts, feelings, and ideals. Whether you say them to yourself out loud or write them down in a notebook, the repetition of these statements encourages you to make the necessary behavioral changes that reflect them.
Positive Affirmations for Self-Love
Practicing positivity through affirming can be used to foster a better relationship with yourself and encourage confidence that will trickle down into different areas of your life. If you’re interested in adding positive affirmations to your mental health routine, but you’re unsure where to start, here are a few that you can try:
- I am enough.
- I am not my diagnosis.
- I love who I am.
- I love who I am becoming.
- My feelings are valid.
- Healing is possible.
- I can achieve any goal I set my mind to.
- I am worthy of love.
- I am strong.
- I am not my circumstances.
- I accept myself for who I am.
- I believe in myself.
- I am beautiful.
- I am proud of who I am.
- I am loved.
- I am resilient.
- I allow myself to feel.
- I respect myself.
- I am not my flaws.
Quiet Your Mind With Meditation
Mindfulness is the ability to remain in the present moment, being aware of where you are and what you’re doing without becoming overly reactive or overwhelmed. On the other hand, meditation is the concept of exploring your present moment, working through your thoughts, feelings, and other sensations as they come.
When you mix these concepts, practicing mindful meditation allows you to remain in the present moment, acknowledging your thoughts and feelings while avoiding overstimulation or reactivity. It helps you create a healthy distance between you and your experience—effectively reducing feelings of anxiety.
Tips to Help You Practice Mindful Meditation
Bring Your Attention to Your Breath
When you first try meditating, you may find it challenging to quiet your busy brain. Bringing your attention to your breath can help anchor these thoughts, bringing you back to the current moment. Try to focus on the natural pattern of your breathing without altering it, paying attention to the rise and fall of your chest with each breath.
Don’t Dismiss Your Feelings
When you struggle with anxiety, it can be easy to become annoyed with your restlessness, focusing on how long it takes for it to pass. Instead of wishing it to go, focus on what you’re feeling and give it your attention as it comes. As you continue to do this, you will be better able to understand and identify these feelings without becoming overwhelmed by them.
Keep a Meditation Journal
Keeping a journal to log your meditation sessions can help you track the progress you’re making over time. Right after you finish a meditation session, take a moment to express your thoughts and feelings that you noticed while meditating. This also helps you acknowledge your emotions without becoming overly critical.
Set Aside Some ‘Me’ Time
When you’re dedicated to improving your mental health and wellness, you will notice that it’s important to set aside time for yourself. Although caring for yourself is often viewed as a luxury, it is a valid and essential part of looking after your mental and physical well-being.
When you don’t take time to tune into your mental health needs, you’re more likely to experience the following:
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Body aches
- Muscle tension
- Trouble sleeping
- Feelings of anxiety and depression
- Exacerbation of existing mental and physical conditions
Simple Ways To Show Yourself Some Extra Love & Care
While setting aside time for yourself and the things you enjoy may feel a bit self-indulgent, it’s an essential way to add balance to your life.
Some examples of activities that can help you to support your mental health and wellness include:
- Taking a warm bath or shower
- Reading your favorite books or magazines
- Listening to music you enjoy
- Taking a nature hike
- Gardening
- Trying yoga or dynamic stretching
- Practicing meditation
- Making yourself some tea
- Getting some fresh air
- Heading to bed a little early
- Dancing around to your favorite music
- Learning to say “no”
- Spending time outdoors
- Organizing your space
- Trying deep-breathing exercises
Find a Hobby that Supports Your Emotional Health
Although hobbies can be fun, they’re also an excellent way to give your mood and mental health a boost!
Hobbies Help to Ease Distressing Emotions
Along with being an excellent way to spend your free time constructively, finding a hobby you enjoy can ward off distressing emotions. In fact, regularly participating in these types of activities are associated with a lower risk of experiencing:
- Chronic stress
- Low mood
- Depression
They Help You to Build New Relationships
Experiencing feelings like anxiety and depression can feel like an isolating experience and like no one can understand what you’re going through. However, finding a group of people who have a shared interest with you can give you a sense of belonging, reminding you that you don’t have to work through your problems yourself.
Joining a club, class, or even an online community of people who enjoy the same hobby as you can give you the opportunity to make new friends that you can easily relate to.
They Build Confidence
When you struggle with your mental health, it’s easy to develop an overly critical view of yourself. However, engaging in activities that you thoroughly enjoy can remind you that you’re capable of achieving great things when you put your heart and mind to it.
Joining a club, class, or even an online community of people who enjoy the same hobby as you can allow you to make new friends that you can easily relate to.
Mental Health Treatment in North Carolina
At Tapestry, our treatment programs are designed to provide our clients with individualized care while acknowledging their unique life experiences. Our staff members are dedicated to understanding and treating our clients as whole people.
Whether you have questions about mental health or how to support a loved one struggling with mental illness, we are here for you. Contact us today by filling out a confidential form or give us a call at (828) 490-4032.
