How often do you as a woman, engage in self-care practices to give yourself time out from all the stress you take in your life?
If your answer is ‘often’, then that’s great! But if ‘rarely’ or ‘never’, then you must do something.
It is honestly surprising to know that how less of an effort is takes to indulge in practices to make yourself feel good and boost your emotional health.
If I do not make mindful efforts to intentionally care for my mental health, I feel incomplete and drained. I’m running on an empty tank, not able to be my best self and give to others.
Maintenance of my mental health is by taking care of it daily so that it functions optimally every day.
Taking steps to promote and maintain the well-being of your mental health is an everyday choice you make! It does not happen by chance or on its own, and it requires conscious effort on your part, just like physical exercise, whether you go to the gym or simply go for a walk.
Here are some simple and doable techniques backed by science (and tried by me) on how you can partake in self-care for your mental health:
1. Speak up! (with kindness)
Speak up about your concerns. Is something bothering you regarding what your colleague said to you at work? Go to them and talk to them upfront about it. However, it is better to be polite while doing this. You need to start speaking your mind out more, especially when it’s something that doesn’t make you feel encouraged, and with kindness and consideration of other people’s feelings and respect.
2. Reduce Over-stimulation of social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.)
Mindless scrolling on Instagram is only going to lead you so far. There is no goal to it and it leads to information overload. Also, when having a bad mood or stress, people tend to doom scroll a lot, which fills up their mental space more and makes them feel even more anxious.
3. Get moving
Well, this couldn’t be stressed enough in today’s time. Going outdoors for a walk does so much more good for your mental health than sitting in a corner and endless scrolling on social media. That 10 minute walk will clear your head out, plus your body will also thank you for it! And not just this; keep moving around in the house through the day. Stop relying on family members to bring you stuff from other parts of the house and get up and get it yourself!
4. Regular de-cluttering and cleaning up your surrounding
Do you remember Monica from F.R.I.E.N.D.S.? Then you also know about her knack for cleaning and how clearing out her space makes her feel so good. So, if you have a cluttered room or a house, start de-cluttering your space one by one and watch how your mind clears, your anxiety decreases, and you feel so much better!
Whenever I feel too overwhelmed with anxiety and have no idea what exactly to do to help it, I start putting my things in order one by one and, with every effort, see myself getting settled and feeling better
5. Be kind and positive to others and to yourself
It is so important to understand how crucial positivity is to your well-being. As simple as it may sound, speak positivity and kindness not only to others, but to yourself also. Eliminate negative self-talk and watch your mental health bloom.
6. Have something to look forward to
Set mini goals for yourself every now and then, as per your likability. Make plans for the weekend, or simply decide on eating something special for dinner one working day. The point is to have something to look forward to, big or small. This keeps you going and gives you the motivation that you may need in your life right now.
7. Accept your emotions just as they are
Be true to your emotions, no matter how they are. Laugh, cry, feel sad when you need to. Don’t try to mask them and put up a false façade, burying your true feelings inside, as then those negative feelings will leak out in ways and situations you don’t want to find yourself in.
8. Stop looking for perfection
Do not be fooled by this world’s perception of a perfect life, especially how it can be seen that people are living their best lives on social media. Or putting yourself under the pressure of best performance, best life, best everything. This will lead to disappointment and an unhealthy self-image if some of your expectations are not fulfilled.
9. Get enough sleep, eat healthy, and cut out junk
It’s high time to get your 8-hour sorted. And not only that, include some greens, leafy vegetables, salads, and fruits in your diet. It’s time to get over the idea that they’re boring and learn how to jazz them up using the endless recipes available on the internet.
Because let’s face it, the junk that you are putting in your body right now is not just giving you a big waistline but also messing up your whole system for the long haul, which is degrading your mental health too. It’s time to grow up and get smarter with your eating habits.
10. Be connected to your friends and family
Have a circle. Stay connected to friends and family and keep them close. It’s great to be individualistic and independent. Some people don’t like nagging family members. But it’s always better to stay in touch with people and keep your close ones updated with what is happening in your life.
11. Reach out when you need help
But we, as humans, are designed to be social. When something goes wrong in life, some people have the urge to go deep into their shell and avoid all contact, which further deteriorates their mental health. It’s imperative to reach out even more this time to somebody you trust and talk about your heart.
12. Keep your day planned and occupied
You must have heard about the habit of making your bed when you are up in the morning. With this, try waking up with some time in your hand so you can avoid the mad morning rush in your house. Have some extra 20–40 minutes in which you can sit and write about the things that you are going to do during the day. After arriving at work, I plan out what I’ll be doing that day and write down my work goals. This helps with better productivity and gives me control of what I want my day to be like.
13. Write it out. Journal your feelings and thoughts. Trying helps!
This may be pretty cliché for some people, but it actually works for your mental health! I started journaling when there was a time in my life when I couldn’t find a way to channelize my emotions. I started writing pages and pages of all the things and emotions I was feeling but not comfortable enough to talk about them to someone. It was such a catharsis. Not only does it help in taking the burden off, but it also makes you a more self-dependent and self-confident person.
14. SHARE and Help your people in talking
Some people are good at expressing their emotions and are comfortable speaking about their feelings. But some find it awkward to share their feelings. So, it helps even if you talk about just some parts of your thoughts and emotions, even if it feels cheesy and unnecessary. It doesn’t need to be shared with many people. Just find one person—be it a sibling, cousin, partner, friend, parent, or teacher.
Also, be a better friend and help that introverted friend of yours who is a good listener, as you claim, and give them a chance to express themselves, or better yet, ask them how they are doing.
15. Keep a check on your self-esteem
Your self-esteem or self respect is something that is very sacred and something to be protected. The world will see you how you see yourself. Give yourself all the love, respect and positive emotions that you deserve. One way to do so is by listening to your emotional needs and being true to who you are, without sidelining yourself. Respect yourself enough to be able to say NO when something doesn’t resonate with you.
16. Spend more time in developing your hobbies or doing something you’re good at
We all are good at something or the other. If does not matter how significant ot insignificant it is…it is yours. Spend a lot of time by doing something you are good at doing- it could be baking, playing an instrument, a sport, literally anything. Doing more of these activities not only sharpen your skills better but also builds your self-confidence.
So to sum this article up, things to try for to care for your mental health are:
- Speak up! (with kindness)
- Reduce Over-stimulation of social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.)
- Get moving!
- Regular de-cluttering and cleaning up your surrounding
- Be kind and positive to others and to yourself.
- Have something to look forward to…
- Accept your emotions just as they are
- Stop looking for perfection.
- Get enough sleep, eat healthy, and cut out junk!
- Be connected to friends and family.
- Reach out when you need help.
- Keep your day planned
- Write it out. Journal your feelings and thoughts. Trying helps!
- SHARE and Help your people in talking
- Keep a check on your self-esteem
- Spend more time in developing your hobbies or doing something you’re good at
Hope this helps! Happy Women’s Day to all the lovely ladies! ❤️
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Anchor For My Soul 
The hardest one for me is to allow myself to be imperfect
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Thank you for sharing this, Milena! Have a fantastic day
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will do, Astha
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These are some great and uplifting points Astha 👏🏻
Love it, very positive 🙂
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Thank you so much, Devang! Appreciate it 🙂
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