When it comes to looking after yourself, your mental health is just as important as your physical health. After all, your mental health affects every one of your thoughts, emotions and actions, playing a significant role in how you live your life. While the measures for taking care of our physical health (such as eating well and exercising regularly) are quite clear, keeping our mental health in check can sometimes be a bit trickier. Fortunately, there are techniques we can all implement to train our brains for better mental wellness. Here are three to get you started.
Take mental wellness courses
Believe it or not, there are courses you can attend specifically designed to help you better your mental health. These courses touch on a wide variety of topics, from confidence building to public speaking, and serve nearly all age levels, from youth to adult. Training organisations like Training for Life provide such courses in an effort to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health and aid people in reaching a higher state of mental wellness. Check out available online courses and/or training provided in your local area to see about getting involved yourself.
Meditate
In recent years, there’s been a boom in the popularity of meditation, and for good reason. This ancient Indian practice carries a long list of powerful benefits to your mental health. It helps improve your sense of mindfulness, lowers stress and anxiety levels, betters your focus and can even heighten your self-esteem.
By meditating regularly, you’re training your brain to focus on your inner consciousness and the moment you are currently in. You’re training your brain to eliminate external distractions that could cause you adverse feelings, such as stress or fear. In doing so, you’ll ultimately achieve a deep state of relaxation and awareness, which can do wonders for your mental health.
Keep a gratitude journal
Journaling is an excellent practice to refine your mindfulness, connect to your emotions and pinpoint the positive aspects of your life. According to Headspace, research has shown that focusing on these positive elements and expressing gratitude for them can ameliorate both your physical and mental wellness.
With this in mind, why not keep a gratitude journal? In this journal, you write down all the things that happened that day or that week that you’re grateful for. Maybe it was the coffee that your friend bought you, your good health, or the phone call you had with your mom. No matter how big or small, jotting down the things you appreciate about your life trains your brain to actively practice gratitude, thereby enhancing your mental health.
Final thoughts
There’s never a bad time to start focusing on improving your mental wellbeing. Participating in training courses, meditating and keeping a gratitude journal are just three of the many ways you can train your brain and reap the benefits of better mental health. When you integrate such practices into your mental health regimen, you’ll find yourself feeling happier and more relaxed in no time.
Dennis Relojo-Howell is the managing director of Psychreg.
