Having positive mental well-being is possible. It’s always great to live life to the fullest. If you want to take the necessary steps, we have ten of them that you can follow.
These steps are outlined according to mental health experts that we have interviewed. Mental health is more important than ever. Even if you are dealing with a mental health disorder, it is possible to stay positive while managing it.
If you want to take these steps seriously, keep reading. Let’s take a look now at the following things you can do to stay mentally positive.
Table of Contents
Quit addictive substances
Addictive substances can exacerbate any existing mental disorders you may have. Even if you don’t have them, addicting substances can alter your mental well-being. For this reason, you’ll want to receive inpatient treatment if you are dealing with drugs and alcohol.
Addictive substances can be easy to get hooked on. But it can be tough to get over. However, you can do whatever it takes to prevent using them (if you haven’t before).
If you are using it on a ‘sometimes’ basis, quit now. You could indulge in more of them and it can hurt your positive mental well being.
Eating clean
Did you know that eating a clean diet can improve your mental health? Yes, it’s true. You could be eating fruits, veggies, and even omega-3 fatty acids to help improve your mental health.
These include fish, nuts, beans, and similar foods. A poor diet might not bode well for your mental health. Especially when you are dealing with issues pertaining to your physical health.
These physical health struggles can be mentally taxing. The sooner you start eating clean, the better you’ll feel over time. Go over your current diet and see what needs to be eliminated.
Exercise on a regular basis
A good diet and regular exercise go hand in hand. Especially when it comes to your mental health. You can exercise 150 minutes per week and feel your best.
In fact, you can exercise regularly to keep stress at bay. You can even reduce instances of anxiety and depression. You’ll feel good knowing you can keep yourself in shape both physically and mentally with exercise.
You can do regular cardio, strength training, or go on a walk. It’s all up to you what you can do for exercise. As long as you put in 25 to 30 minutes per day, you’ll feel better.
Dump the toxic people in your life
The people you surround yourself with can affect your mental health negatively. These can include people who exude a negative mental attitude. You might act like them, talk like them, and even live like them.
That’s why you want to steer clear of them. Instead, make friends with positive people. People who uplift each other and encourage positivity.
The last thing you want to do is hang around people who make you feel miserable all the time. Besides, they might have problems themselves and are looking to distract themselves away from it.
Love yourself for who you are
Having a negative self-image can be bad for your mental well-being. You might be dealing with something you might not like about yourself. You might be unhappy about the things you can’t change in your life.
We are all unique in our own way. We can change some things about ourselves. And some things we can’t.
It’s important to accept and love yourself for who you are. Learn to have confidence even if you feel like you’re lacking in some areas.
Get rid of external validation
We live in an age where social media use is the ‘norm’. People may use it to seek external validation from other people. Especially if they want to know from other people if they are ‘good looking’ or not.
Some people cannot live without compliments every day. This shouldn’t be you. This ties into the previous step about loving yourself.
Why rely on the external validation of others to be happy? Who cares if you get no likes on a social media post? Don’t let social media dictate your mood and mental health.
Journal regularly
If you want to write about how you feel, keep a journal. Talk about how you’re feeling today. What were your experiences for the day?
What could you have done differently? There are so many things you can write about. And the best part is no one else can read it but you.
It’s up to you to keep a journal on a regular basis. Especially if you want to ‘brain dump’ anything. As a matter of fact, people will empty their thoughts on paper or a word doc and they’ll feel good after that.
Leave toxic environments
Earlier, we talked about toxic environments. This can be your current living situation or where you work. You may be surrounded by negative people who might not appreciate you.
They may even belittle, bully you, or something else. You don’t need to deal with this. You can change your environment when the opportunity presents itself.
You may be caught in a difficult situation. You may feel like you have no place to go. That’s why you can find a new job you enjoy or a new place to live.
Of course, cut off the toxic people in your life and you’ll be even happier.
Practice mindfulness
This can be done every day for five minutes. Just spend time in a quiet area and do a breathing exercise. A simple ‘breathe in the nose, out the mouth’ will be sufficient.
Just focus on the breath for that five-minute period. You’ll feel in control, centered, and ready to take on the stress.
Stay positive always
Sure, there will be days when you’ll feel negative. But there’s always a positive in every negative. Know that everything will be OK.
That doesn’t mean you can’t be sad when you need to. It’s OK to express that. Your positivity will be mentally good for you and the people around you.
