“When our emotional health is in a bad state, so is our level of self-esteem. We have to slow down and deal with what is troubling us, so that we can enjoy the simple joy of being happy and at peace with ourselves.”
by Jess C. Scott
Taking care of yourself is an important factor in having a wonderful life.
Every single day, we find ourselves in situations that are emotionally and consequently mentally straining and draining, be it stress from the workplace or home.
Worse, you can find yourself wallowing in depression, which does not in any way contribute to you achieving that kind of life that you want. As such, it is important that you pay close attention to your emotional health since not doing so only sets you back and causes a myriad of problems.
If you find yourself drowning in emotional turmoil, here are some tips to help you rise and get back on your feet again.
1. Do things that positively impact others.
When you do something good for others, it helps you to feel useful. This feeling is not only good to have, but also important in the sense that you find meaning in your life in doing good service towards other people.
2. Practice self-discipline.
Discipline is one of the most important values that you could ever develop. Without self-discipline, you will not be able to control yourself and thus increase the chances of you doing something that you will soon regret. Developing self-discipline can be really difficult, but it is not impossible.
3. Learn new things.
Doing so helps to make you feel proud of yourself. For every accomplishment that you achieve, you are slowly building yourself up, which in turn makes you feel more satisfied with being you.
4. Enjoy the beauty of nature.
The beauty of nature is simply amazing. Why not try to relax your troubled mind by taking a walk in the park, or going on a weekend hiking trip with family or friends and enjoy the view? It can surely do wonders for a tired mind and soul.
5. Enjoy art.
Aside from nature, why not try to be amazed by the wonderful paintings or sculptures in your local museum?
6. Learn to manage your stress.
Stress is the number one enemy of a healthy mind. Identify your stressors and get rid of them completely. If not, try to limit your exposure to them. This helps to make sure that your mind is stress-free.
7. Limit unhealthy habits like worrying.
Worrying is one thing that causes wrinkles to form on one’s forehead. Stop worrying about unnecessary things. If they are important, do something about them instead of just worrying.
8. Appeal to your senses.
Your senses provide your connection to the rest of the world and are especially helpful in relieving stress and helping you deal with emotional distress. So go ahead, savor the taste of good food, enjoy the wonderful sights around, or listen to your favorite music. Better yet, do them all at the same time, like strolling around a nature park with a cappuccino in one hand and your mp3 player plugged into your ears.
9. Engage in things that stimulate you.
Do something creative for yourself. It doesn’t matter if nobody else can appreciate them, as long as you could. Don’t worry about people who don’t appreciate your work, since they just add to your stress levels.
10. Make leisure time a priority.
Always save time in your schedule for fun. Remember, all work and no play makes anyone a dull person.
11. Save time for meditation.
Aside from fun, find time in your schedule to meditate. This can greatly help in relaxing your mind and finding inner peace.
12. Challenge negative thinking.
Do away with pessimistic thoughts and focus on the positive ones. Burdening your mind with negative thoughts do not do you any good, and rather builds up more stress.
13. Give yourself advice.
Talking to yourself is a good way of overcoming emotional breakdown. Imagine what you would like to tell yourself during these times. Sometimes, the perfect advice is already inside us, if we only try to look and listen.
14. Perfection is not always necessary.
We are humans, and we make mistakes. Make room for those. Striving for perfection makes life more demanding. Perfection and excellence are good, but not when they are causing you heaps stress and pressure. Besides, making acceptable mistakes relieves you from the pressure of having to maintain a clean slate.
15. Don’t look at the picture with an all-or-nothing point of view.
Just because you made seven perfect cupcakes and burned the other three doesn’t mean that you are a failure. Again, remember that you are human and that you have certain limitations.
16. Don’t overgeneralize.
Don’t think that because you can’t make perfect cupcakes now means that you can’t make perfect cupcakes in the future. Remember that every day is a new learning experience and that what holds true yesterday doesn’t always hold true today.
17. Jumping to conclusions
Some people make the mistake of thinking that they can’t do something without even trying. Jumping into negative conclusions only holds you back from trying, and possibly accomplishing something that you are bound to be proud of.
18. Expose yourself to the sunshine.
Take a short walk outdoors. Keeping yourself holed up in your room and darkness gives way too depressing thoughts. Besides, your brain needs vitamin D in order to function properly.
19. If possible, take care of a pet.
Taking care of a pet helps to bring out the caring side of you. When you find that you are capable of caring, you will see that life is much more beautiful and accommodating. You don’t have to buy your own pet, by the way. Try walking your neighbor’s dog (or mine!), or feeding your kid’s goldfish while they’re at school.
20. Watch a funny movie or TV show.
Have a good laugh every once in awhile. As they say, laughter is the best medicine, especially for the emotionally distressed.
