Yes, it’s Possible! How To Improve Your Mental Health

 

Good mental health is vital to your overall wellness, but what exactly does that mean? Being mentally healthy means you can function during everyday life, have a sense of wellbeing and you feel confident to rise to a challenge when the opportunity arises. It may sound weird to suggest that you can improve your mental health but, just like your physical health, there are steps you can take to become more mentally healthy. So, how can you improve your mental health and be ready for whatever life throws your way?

 

1. Connect with Others: As John Donne wrote “No man is an island.” People need people, and that’s just the way it works. The quality of your personal relationships will have a major impact on your wellbeing, and so it’s important to develop and maintain strong relationships with people around you who will support and enrich your life. Putting time and effort into building strong relationships can bring great rewards.

 

2. Take Time to Enjoy Life: Life can be so busy that just finding time to work, look after your kids and take care of daily chores can be a struggle. However, life isn’t just about getting from one day to the next; it’s about living so you need to take time to enjoy it. Set aside time for activities, hobbies and projects you enjoy so that you make sure you actually do it. That said, don’t be afraid to be spontaneous. If the urge takes you, do a crossword; take a walk in your local park; read a book; sew a quilt; draw pictures with your kids; play with your pets – whatever takes your fancy.

 

3. Share Your Interests: This tip incorporates the best of both worlds; connecting with others and enjoying life. If you have an interest or hobby you’d like to pursue but your friends and family aren’t really that bothered by it, join a club or group of people who share your interests. Not only does this enable you to explore the thing you enjoy; being part of a group of people with a common interest provides a sense of belonging and is good for your mental health. Whether you join a sports club; a band; an evening walking group; a dance class; a theatre or choir group; a book club or car club, there is a group out there that likes the things you like.

 

4. Contribute to Your Community: In the words of Mark Twain, ‘The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up,’ so volunteer your time for a cause or issue that you care about. Whether you just do something nice for a friend or you work in a community garden, there are many great ways to contribute that can help you feel good about yourself and your place in the world. According to Professor Cary Cooper, an occupational health expert at the University of Lancaster, ‘Helping people who are often in situations worse than yours will help you put your problems into perspective. The more you give, the more resilient and happy you feel.’

 

5. Take Care of Yourself: There’s a close connection between physical and mental wellness, so make sure that you eat well and get plenty of exercise. It’s easier to feel good about life if your body feels good, and a combined healthy diet and exercise programme can help you feel good inside and out. You don’t have to go to the gym to exercise – gardening, vacuuming, dancing and bushwalking all count.

Categories: Connection, hobbies, volunteer

How to Deal with Empty Nest Syndrome when Your Kids are Gone

Your kids are often the culprits when it comes to your fragile mental health, but the funny thing is they hit you hardest when they’re no longer around. Whether your children go off to Uni, leave the country or move out to start a new job, Empty Nest Syndrome can have a huge impact on your wellbeing, as you can feel like they no longer need you, and that you no longer have an identity.

 

As a parent, your wellness is inextricably linked to your children. When they start their own lives, you can become derailed, especially if you’ve been staying at home and putting your own work and hobbies on hold in order to take care of them. You might think that mothers are more at risk to Empty Nest Syndrome than fathers, but actually studies conducted by Helen M DeVries, an associate professor of psychology at Wheaton College in the US, have shown that fathers are more affected by children leaving home as they are not prepared for it.

 

Preparation, then, is key, so what can you do to get ready? By reading this article, you’ve already begun, as you need to acknowledge that your child will not need you in the same way forever. This is difficult to accept as parents, but planning ahead can help you to cope. Think about the time when they will lead their own lives away from you, and make a list of all the things you will get to do when you finally get that time off. Remember, you are more than just a mum or dad; you are an individual with your own personality that existed long before you children arrived. Don’t wait for your kids to leave to get back to that – make sure you have your own activities, hobbies and friends now, as well as spending time as a couple.

 

So, are you or your partner showing the symptoms of empty nest syndrome?

 

1. Depression. This is the most common symptom of Empty Nest Syndrome, and is cause for concern if it lasts over a week. This may involve excessive crying, feeling withdrawn from your normal routines or friends, decreased energy, insomnia and a persistent sad mood.

 

2. Feeling useless. For parents who stay at home, it’s common to feel that there is now nothing for you to do, and you are superfluous.

 

3. Marital problems. When your kids are round, they’re the priority, which means that problems in your marriage may not surface until there’s just you and your partner left. Now you may find issues emerge, which you will need to focus on as a couple.

 

If you experience Empty Nest Syndrome, there are things you can do to get your wellbeing back on track. Start by seeking counselling from a professional. Not only does it help to have someone to talk to, but counsellors can help you to look at the situation in a positive way, and take positive steps as a couple to rebuild your lives. This may begin with keeping yourself busy, and reclaiming some of the activities and hobbies you used to love before your time became taken up by parenting. If nothing old springs to mind, try something new, creative and fulfilling to beat the empty nest blues.

 

Another important aspect of rebuilding your emotional health is to fill your lives with good friends, be they from relationships you may have ignored over the years, new relationships, or ones you just want to strengthen and grow even more. The house won’t feel so empty if you’re always inviting someone round for tea, or going out. While your children may not be here anymore, this doesn’t mean that they’re out of your lives forever. It’s not like the days when you left home; there is all kinds of technology to help you keep in touch with your kids, wherever they are. You might not want to be a burden, but your kids will actually appreciate the odd phone call or text – just try not to phone every day!

Categories: couple nbsp, Empty Nest Syndrome, Friends, hobbies, Kids, lives, nbsp, nest, nest syndrome, syndrome

Mental Combat: Strengthening Your Addiction Action Plan

Categories: abusing drugs, addiction action, avoid places, drug abuse, Drug Addiciton, drug addiction, hobbies, nutrition

Putting Youth Back into the Golden Age

When you enter the golden years of life, you are often reminded of the downsides ricocheting its way into bones, muscles and metabolism, with the additional rounds of those around you prompted to treating you like a toddler. At the back of your mind, you may be thinking that it’s all that you have to look forward to, apart from sitting and resting for a good portion of your day – but the age-old stereotype is last-season for a reason – and it’s time to put that youth back into your lifestyle.

You don’t have to submit yourself to the problems of age. In fact, by being positive and active, you are in fact benefiting yourself, rather than wearing yourself out, with a couple of check-ups here and there.

Tiny tweaks in lifestyle are usually all that you need.

The first is your diet. Usually as you grow older, you normally don’t feel the need to eat a big meal. As your metabolism hits a low point, so too does your desire to eat food. This isn’t to say that you should stuff your face full, but plan at least four to five small meals to be eaten throughout the day. Having a low-fat diet that is high in fruits, vegetables and lean meats will help nourish the body, while adding in whole grains and fibre-rich foods to keep your body ticking away properly.

The second is exercise. This isn’t to say that you have to hop onto a treadmill and work yourself into exhaustion. A 30 minute walk gets you the best exercise that you can manage, which in turn can help you improve your cardiovascular health, regulate diabetes, strengthen muscles and lower stress levels.

Thirdly, keep your mind active through hobbies, thinking games – whatever takes your fancy. Age should not be an obstacle in trying something new. Creating and reading are excellent ways to keep the grey matter ticking.

Whatever you try, it is better than sitting and waiting. You are not the frail person that you think that you might be. You are still you, through and through.

After all, no matter what your age is, we were all young once.

Putting Youth Back into the Golden Age

Categories: anti-ageing, diet, exercise, Food, healthy ageing, hobbies, Mental Wellness