10 Small Ways To Boost Your Mental Health
Have you been feeling like you’re in a mental slump?
Here at KMA Therapy, we know how frustrating it is when you just want to feel better. We’re here to give you the tips and tricks you need to live your best life, and feel better now.
These ten simple tips can help you feel refreshed and refocused.
1. Refresh your space
Your immediate environment can have a huge impact on your mood.
If you’re sitting in a dark, cluttered room, you’re going to feel down and overwhelmed.
If you’re sitting in a well-lit, organized room, you’re going to feel more put-together.
You don’t have to do an extreme makeover and renovate your entire house for this to work - you just need to dedicate a small chunk of time to making your space feel more liveable.
Throw on a great playlist and a comfortable outfit, and spend twenty minutes tidying up. You might be surprised at how much better it makes you feel!
2. Refresh your social media feeds
After you’ve cleaned up your space, it’s time to clean up your social media feeds.
Unfollow that guy who was always kind of rude to you in college or the girl who ghosted you a year ago.
You can also go through the celebrities and influencers you’re following, and see if their content is still something you’re interested in.
Social media can be consuming, but you get to choose what type of content you consume.
3. Forgive someone you’ve been holding a grudge against
If your social media cleanse has left you with some negative feelings, it might be time to release them and move on.
Forgiveness can boost your mental health by:
- Reducing anxiety
- Reducing depression
- Lessening physical health symptoms
- Increasing feelings of self-empowerment and self-healing
It can be hard to forgive someone who isn’t sorry, but acknowledging how the other person hurt you (and then releasing the resentment you feel) can be freeing.
4. Say “yes” to one new thing
You’ve probably heard the challenge of “doing one thing a day that scares you.”
It can be easy to feel like you’re stuck in a rut when you’re never trying out anything new.
Whether you want to sign up for a recreational sports league or finally take that acting class you’ve been wanting to try out, don’t be afraid to say yes to something new.
5. Say “no” to something you don’t want to do
On the other hand, saying yes to things you really don’t want to do can be just as harmful.
If you’re dreading an upcoming social event or filled to the brim with work commitments, don’t be afraid to say no when someone asks for more of your time.
6. Create a new night time routine
Bedtime is one of the most important parts of your day, and the sleep you get can have a huge impact on your mental health.
Create a sleep-friendly bedtime routine by:
- Creating your ideal sleep environment
- Establishing a consistent sleep schedule
- Eliminating revenge bedtime procrastination
- Being mindful of what you eat and drink at night
- Getting proper exercise - at the right time of day
7. Lean into mindfulness
Learning how to connect with the present moment is the core component of mindfulness, and it’s a quick and effective way to boost your mood.
Mindfulness can reduce stress by:
- Improving your focus
- Lessening reactivity to stressful situations
- Helping you understand your physical and emotional needs
- Letting you explore solutions to your problems instead of getting stuck in a stress-spiral
Explore these three ways to practice mindfulness today.
8. Build your ideal self-care routine
Self-care is more than just aesthetic face masks and journal prompts - it actually originated in the 1950s as a way for people experiencing mental illness to grow their sense of self-worth by caring for themselves.
The six types of self-care are:
- Emotional
- Practical
- Spiritual
- Physical
- Mental
- Social
Explore different ways to build the six types of self-care into your daily routine.
9. Wear a confidence-boosting outfit
Have you ever woken up in a bad mood and decided to stay in your pyjamas all day? Did it make you feel better or worse?
Some days, you just need to relax in your comfiest clothes - and that’s okay!
But on the days when you need to get a lot done, it can be helpful to get dressed in an outfit that helps you get started on your day and feel confident.
10. Accept compliments
When you're not feeling super confident, it can feel really easy to deflect any compliments that people give you.
You may deflect compliments if:
- You feel embarrassed by the attention
- You have a hard time believing the person complimenting you
- Someone compliments something you were feeling self-conscious about
Accepting compliments, instead of brushing them off, will not only make you feel better - but they’ll make the person complimenting you feel better too.
If you need an extra confidence boost, explore these three confidence tips.
Next Steps for Feeling Better
After reading this article, you have ten new ways to boost your mental health.
But even though you can make a lot of progress on your own, it doesn’t mean that you have to be the only person looking out for your mental health.
The KMA Therapy team is here for you if you’re ever looking for some extra support - and getting started is as easy as filling out our registration form.
If you’re looking for more information, you can also download our Therapy 101 Guide.
Prefer to keep reading? Choose one of your favourite tips from the list above, and dive into the article in each section to learn more!
