Nurturing our physical body with balanced diet, exercise and sound sleep is fairly a straightforward matter. 

But how many of us are aware about nurturing our mental health?

I am pretty sure only few of us may understand the gravity of this situation. 

It’s not our fault.  

We are living in a society where taking care of our mental and emotional well-being is often a neglected issue. From our early childhood, we are only bombarded with the importance of healthy body.

Importance of mental health

With all the changes we go through our life, it is obvious to experience emotional distress. 

We usually experience problems with emotional, psychological and behavior health for variety of reasons. Subsequently, dealing with stress, challenges and unexpected happenings take a heavy mental toll.

Unaddressed emotional pain could be one of the reasons for development of an array of mental health disorders including depression and anxiety. Therefore, taking care of our mental and emotional health is utmost important. 

So what can we do to nurture this precious entity?

Well, there are many things we can do to reap the reward of good mental health.

Incorporating mental well-being into our life

In the journey of mental wellness, the first important thing we can do is expressing our feelings regularly.

No matter how mentally resilient we are, negative emotions get accumulated over the period of time. It’s always good to get rid of these overwhelming feelings through various modes. 

Sharing our feelings with someone who we trust is extremely therapeutic.

In this context, interacting with people and maintaining good social contacts makes us feel emotionally supported. 

Humans spent their entire life as a part of society. Therefore, social elements have a significant role in determining mental health of a person. 

Social support is a key component of healthy relationship. It involves a network of family and friends where we can share our life experiences, and this network is ready to help us in time of need. Keeping our communication channels open cultivates trust and respect. This gives us feelings that we are a part of community of people who care for us and value us. 

Also check : Let’s Talk About Mental Health

The second important thing to nurture mental health is practicing stress management.

Stress is a normal human reaction that happens to everyone. In right amount, psychological stress is always good as it motivates us for productivity. However, in excess, stress is a major cause for deteriorating mental health.

Feeling worried about something is natural, especially when we can’t control the outcome of the situation. However, the resulting unpleasant feelings consume our precious time. The best way to reduce a stress level is finding balance in the life.  

This means focusing more and more on a positive side of the life and figuring out the best possible way to deal with problems. 

It is impossible to completely eliminate problems from life. But it is possible to engage with them in a healthy way so that they no longer cripple us.

It doesn’t require anything other than our willingness to focus on our life and bring ourself back on track.

Setting priorities, practicing self-care, fostering self-worth, appreciating our uniqueness and nurturing in-build qualities are some of the effective ways to keep a stress level in check.

Now-a-day, information coming through various channels has a huge role in inflicting stress. It has a potential to disturb our emotional health, especially if it is related to conflict, violence or disaster. In order to lead a normal life we don’t need to process so much information. 

Getting disconnected from the source of information, especially if it is not for us is an ideal way to maintain a healthy state of mind.

Another good thing we can do for our mental health is practicing right thinking.

Just like nutritious foods keep our body fit, right thought process improves quality of our emotional health. The point to remember here is the difference between positive thinking and right thinking.

Positive thinking means being optimistic in any given situation. It motivates us for a given period of time but the effect on emotional wellness is temporary.

However, right thought process means making sure that our thoughts are correct for that moment and for that situation. Right thinking just mean accepting situation as it is and giving our best to overcome challenges. It doesn’t involve regretting about mistakes or expecting worst from the future. 

In this connection, building a culture of values helps us to improve our thought process. Learning the values of appreciation, gratitude, kindness, forgiveness, patience, co-operation, apologies and being considerate for others improves our outlook to see a world as a better place to live. Nurturing these values has positive association with mental well-being by enhancing positive emotions such as happiness, trust and joy. 

In short, nurturing mental health means creating more happiness, harmony, resilience and clarity in our life.

Boosting mental health is not a one-day work. Staying mentally resilient is a ritual that you need to do each day and each moment.

Also Check : The Core Concept Of Mental Health

Disclaimer

Mediclin Brain Health’s content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.