A Final Thought

Building better mental

wellbeing You can listen to Zeenat’s Mindset Matters radio show at www.channelradio.co.uk/two/ shows/mindset-matters

by ZEENAT NOORANI

Are you looking to boost your mood, handle your emotions better or build resilience?

Mental health influences how you think, feel and behave in daily life. It affects your ability to cope with stress, anxiety, challenges, relationships and recover from life’s setbacks. Over a lifetime, most of us will at some point encounter a degree of mental and emotional challenges.

People who are mentally and emotionally healthy tend to have: • The ability to bounce back from adversity • A sense of meaning and purpose • A sense of contentment • A zest for life • Self-confidence and self-worth • The flexibility to learn new skills and adapt to change • A balance between work, rest and play

Resilient people tend to have tools for coping with difficult situations and maintain a stronger positive outlook, remain focused, flexible and productive, in bad times as well as good.

Solid mental health doesn’t mean that you never encounter bad times. We all go through ups and downs, loss and change. While these are normal parts of life, they can still cause stress, anxiety and heartache.

Often, the emotional messages we tell ourselves are ignored. Instead, many distract themselves or self-medicate, bottling-up problems in the hope they’ll disappear or that others won’t notice, to avoid the fear of judgment. Telling ourselves “This is just the way I am,” isn’t the solution.

Whether you’re looking to cope with a specific mental health problem, handle your emotions better, or simply to feel more positive and energetic, there are plenty of ways to take control. Start today!.

There are six areas to boost one’s overall mental health: Meaning and Purpose; Staying Active; Social Connection; Quality Sleep; Managing Stress; Healthy Eating.

The good news is that there are practices that you can adopt to elevate your mood, become more resilient and enjoy life more.

You can empower yourself through:

- Social connections as a priority, especially in-person.

Humans are social creatures. We’re not meant for isolation. And remember, reaching out is a sign of braveness.

- Interact with good listeners who will listen without interruption, judgement or criticism. - Be proactive in arranging meet-ups. - Detox from your screens. - Join networks, social or special interest groups. - Stay active as it’s as good for the mind as it is for the body. Perhaps partake in your favourite activities for no reason other than that it makes you feel great. - Acquire tools to keep stress levels at bay by using your senses - listen to music to help feel calm; enjoy the scent of your favourite smell; use a stress ball for touch; or practice gratitude, mindfulness, yoga, meditation, breathing or muscle relaxation that can put the brakes on stress and bring back a state of balance.

- Eat healthy foods to support strong mental health. - Don’t sacrifice on sleep. Getting sleep is a necessity, not a luxury. It matters more than you think! - Find purpose and meaning in life. It helps generate new cells and create new neural pathways in the brain. It also strengthens your immune system and keeps you motivated to pursue the other steps to improve an all-rounded wellbeing. - Engage and partake in activities that challenge your creativity and make you feel productive. This can also offer a great sense of meaning and purpose. - Care for a pet. Yes, pets are a responsibility, but caring for one makes you feel needed and loved.

You should always seek professional help if your mental and emotional health are still not functioning optimally at home, work or in your relationships.