Getting Healthier Mentally

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Mark Strong, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.

As we continue with Mark Strong Coaching’s “Getting Healthier” series, let’s explore what it means to get healthier mentally. What is mental health? Being mentally healthy actually means more than just the absence of mental health problems. It’s even more than being free of depression, stress, and anxiety. To be mentally healthy, you must actually work on cultivating positive mental habits rather than merely avoiding negative ones.

But what kind of positive habits can make a difference to your sense of mental well being? There are numerous things you can do to strengthen your mental health and feel better all around:

Cultivate a sense of contentment. Did you ever notice that some people, regardless of their circumstances, seem content with their lives? We’ve all seen people who seem to have everything going against them but still remain optimistic and upbeat about life in general. And on the other hand, we’ve also probably known people who seem to have everything going for them yet still moan and groan about little things, and never seem satisfied. Who would you rather be around? Your goal is to try to be like the former group. Try to find ways to be content with your life rather than complain about it.

Boost your resilience. Being resilient means having the ability to bounce back from stressful periods and adversity. Resilient people still experience their share of tribulations, and they still feel emotions like sadness and disappointment when they do. But people who are mentally healthy use tools to maintain a positive outlook until they can get to the other side of a crisis. The key tools of resilience are flexibility and balance. You must be flexible enough to balance taking action when you have to accomplish something, and stepping back to reenergize yourself as needed.

Live with a sense of purpose. Mental health is improved by having a sense of meaning and purpose in your life. When you feel this sense, you are better able to weather the inevitable storms that come into each of our lives from time to time to throw us off course. Your sense of purpose could be related to your work or your family, or it might be based on a characteristic that you’d like to reflect in your interactions with people, such as patience or helpfulness.

Build and maintain fulfilling relationships. Supportive relationships are one of the bedrocks of solid mental health. While it’s important to take care of yourself and practice self-discipline, it’s also vital to nurture positive connections with others. Talking to someone you trust about your problems and experiences can also help you deal with stress. The key is to make sure you’re choosing your relationships wisely, and finding people who support you rather than judge or criticize you.

Feel confident. Part of being mentally healthy is having a positive self-image. Try to be conscious of your thoughts, and be aware of whether there are times that you fall into negative self-talk. If you find this happening, you may need to improve your confidence level. If you’re working with a life coach, this is an area on which you can focus together.

Find ways to laugh and have fun. No matter how stressful life sometimes becomes, it’s important that we find ways to maintain our sense of humor. Keeping our zest for life as a backdrop to challenging circumstances can help us get through them. If you feel you’ve become too serious about life, it may be time to step back and take a break. Often problem-solving becomes easier after we’ve found a way to enjoy ourselves.