It is important to remember that mental health is a key factor to living life. Mental health encompasses the many ways you can keep your mind free from all of life’s challenges, learn from the challenges you face, and move forward from them. High stress levels can lead to physical and emotional concerns that can have a serious impact on your everyday life. You may struggle with depression, anxiety, or other serious mental illnesses. Here are three steps you can use to keep stress at bay and learn to bounce back from adversity.
Step 1: Learn to relieve stress with meditation.
There are times when there is so much going on in the world around you that affects you that you may feel lost or as though you can’t hold your head above water. Meditation brings the body back to its center by taming the mind. Meditation teaches you to let your thoughts and emotions come and go. Part of meditating is understanding that stressors are always there, but it’s how we react to them that determine the impact. Meditation helps you remember that you are human, so being worried about situations that happen in your life is perfectly normal.
Meditation also helps you remember that it will pass. We can’t stop stressors from happening in life, but we can certainly lighten their impact on us. There are meditation classes, workshops and apps. Check your local area to find communities or try apps like Head Space, Calm or Breathe, just to name a few. Some people use yoga as a way to meditate, as well, so you can always check for those classes in your area or different social media platforms for more information.
Step 2: Exercise
Yes, working out sounds exhausting at times, but it’s important for overall well-being. It also acts as a great stress reliever. One of the direct stress-busting benefits is that it releases endorphins. Endorphins are the ‘feel good’ hormone that is released in the body when we exercise. Endorphins can give you feelings of euphoria and general well-being. They’re the reason for the “runner’s high” you feel after a long walk or a cardio session. Physical activity helps with extra production of this hormone and can help you feel better. There is a level of healthy and unhealthy exercise, so just remember to speak with your doctor and work out an exercise plan that suits you. Daily exercises can include: walking or going for a jog.
Step 3: Prepare yourself for what’s to come as much as you can.
To start, maybe have a nightly routine of making sure the clothes you need for the next day are out, pack your lunch the night before and set a timer to wake up 15 minutes earlier than normal. Doing these simple tasks can help prevent the extra stress of morning mishaps. Your nightly unwind routine can play a huge role in your overall levels of relaxation. You can make a point to make a list of important tasks for the next day each night, so you stay on top of things. Do what makes sense for your life to be prepared for the next day and remember: you got this!
