THE SUBJECT OF MENTAL WELLNESS AND DOING ALL YOU CAN TO LOOK AFTER YOUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH HAS NEVER BEEN FAR FROM THE NEWS (OR OUR SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS FEED) LATELY. SO HIS & HERS SHARES A FEW TIPS FOR LOOKING AFTER YOURSELF.
When it comes to enjoying your life, the need for mental wellness is integral. No matter how good we feel physically or how positive our lives look from the outside, without mental wellness, few of us can truly flourish.
The problem with mental wellness
Unfortunately, mental wellness is incredibly difficult to obtain. While this is an area that has received a huge amount of focus over the past few years, we seem to be no closer to decisively being able to say exactly how a person can ensure their own mental wellness and health— and that tends to lead to a lot of confusion.
Back to basics
To try and overcome this confusion, we need to establish the basics that are generally suggested as being the keys to happiness. The general consensus seems to be that to achieve optimal mental wellness, you should:
- Surround yourself with people you care about
- Don’t work too hard
- Find a job that provides you with opportunities for meaningful work
- Focus on experiences rather than money
- Do what makes you feel happy and fulfilled, rather than what other people want you to do
It’s tough to disagree with some of these points. Surrounding yourself with people you care about is an absolute essential; from early childhood to retiring to the likes of Porthaven, the need for strong interpersonal bonds and a sense of community is crucial. Learning to go your own way in the pursuit of mental wellness is also important, and meaningful work genuinely is beneficial to mental health.
Then the problems begin…
However, the other points are far more difficult to obtain. It’s a simple truth that many of us need to work more than we would like, which can impact our ability to maintain the levels of mental wellness that would be considered optimal. What’s needed is a realistic, modern way of looking at mental wellness, with obtainable goals that line up with the demands of life in the 21st century.
The subjectivity of mental wellness
It is also worth considering the fact that mental wellness is highly subjective. The behaviours that some people may find enriching could be damaging to others— there really is no “one size fits all” solution.
So when trying to create a plan for mental wellness, we need to use broad strokes that can be interpreted by the individual. So, without further ado, a few research-backed ideas that anyone concerned with their mental wellness should consider…
- Do the basics: sleep more and drink more water. These may seem basic, but they genuinely do help when it comes to mental health and wellness.
- Nourish the relationships you have in life and build a strong support network you can rely on.
- End the self-pressure to be happy and loving life at all times. Accept that you don’t always have to be happy, and that’s okay.
- Seek help if you need it. Talking therapies, for example, can be extremely beneficial in offering feedback and providing you with a sympathetic ear if you’re struggling.
- Unfortunately, the impact of social media on mental health and wellness is all too well-known. It may be worth detoxing from social media for a week, just to see if doing so improves how you feel.
Final thoughts
Mental wellness is a difficult, highly subjective area. Ultimately, doing anything to try and benefit your mental health and wellness should be applauded. So do what you can and balance your expectations with reality, and you shouldn’t go far wrong.
We’re very proud to bring you this feature in association with Tonbridge House. Here are a few more suggestions on simple things that might make you feel a little happier from our blog.
