We’re all setting goals in 2018, many of them around our physical health. As you prepare your resolutions, don’t neglect your mental health! Keeping your mental wellbeing up is just as important as getting in shape.

Physical Tips

How you treat your body certainly has an effect on your mind. Physical improvement will help your emotional and mental state. To feel good all around:

  • Get the sleep you need
  • Limit alcohol and caffeine
  • Get up and get moving! It’s easy to spend time in front of electronics, but it’s also good–and important–to take breaks every so often.

Focus on the Positive

  • Accept yourself, warts and all. You are not perfect. And that’s okay! Neither are we. Accepting yourself means letting go of negative self talk and focusing on your flaws–a vital first step in learning to grow.
  • Take up a fun hobby. Learning new skills or spending time doing things you love, especially as a reward, strengthens your mental health.
  • Connect with others. Go build those strong, positive relationships with people who lift you up, and who you lift up as well.
  • Take some time for yourself. Though relationships are vital, it’s important for many of us to take some time to be alone, just to read a book, work on a hobby, or to examine our thoughts.
  • Find something to laugh about every day. Searching for the positive will help you see the world around you in a different light.

Facing the Bad

As nice as it would be, none of us can avoid stress or hard times. Handling the bad moments in a healthy way will help keep you on the right track, mentally and emotionally.

  • Forgive yourself. Don’t keep beating yourself up if you fail, especially if it happened some time ago.
  • Remember that it’s okay to grieve. If you’ve lost something or someone, or you have other reasons to grieve, don’t try to bottle it up. This only causes more harm than good.
  • Pay attention to your feelings–all of them. Sometimes feeling bad means your body or mind is telling you that something is hurting you or that you need to avoid it.

Defend Your Health!

The world wears down hard and fast on our positivity, if we let it. Combat negativity and stress, and defend your mental health!

  • Say “no” sometimes. It’s okay! Not every outing, obligation, or other person’s want will be good for you. Even if it’s not harmful, it can drain you and allow mental unhappiness or stress to creep back in.
  • Get to know the real you! It’s easy to think we know ourselves. But without introspection, you are a mystery to yourself. Think about why you feel certain things, such as why one activity causes you joy while another makes you stressed. You’ll be able to change behaviors or find explanations for your feelings more easily.
  • Visit a therapist and take any prescribed medicines. If you have dark times that keep getting the better of you, fight back! Therapists and other professionals can help you overcome and defend your hard-earned mental health.