There is so much focus on our mental well-being nowadays. It is a new trend within the medical community. They just now figured out how important our mental well-being is, not just to ourselves but society.
Just like with our emotional well-being, many things impact our mental well-being. There is no one set remedy to keep our mental well-being happy.
This article is about our mental well-being, what it is and how to keep it balanced.
Mental Well-being in Regards to Holistic Living
Mental well-being is one of the 5 core aspects of holistic living. If you are unfamiliar with the 5 core aspects, I recommend reading this article here. It is a phenomenal article to become familiar with these aspects and why they are essential.
Mental well-being is an integral part of who we are. Not having any type of understanding of how you operate can be detrimental to you and your growth. How do you even begin to make changes if you do not understand how you work?
Our brains are super complex. Not even scientists know how our brains operate entirely, but the things they have found are simply amazing.
With that being said, there is not an all-encompassing definition that defines what mental well-being is. Some assume being mentally healthy equates to being happy. Well, that is not exactly true. You can be happy and experience happiness while your mental state declines.
There is such a thing as a person being unbalanced. This means our well-being is dictated by our mental, emotional, social, physical, and spiritual states. If there is an imbalance in one area, it will spread to the others. The concept that our 5 core properties are intimately interconnected is explained more in-depth in Unique Tree Representation of Holistic Living.
All this to say, our mental well-being is complex. Out of all 5 core properties, mental well-being holds the most impact in every area of our lives. Some will say it is how we feel or cope with our everyday life. Another could say it is how we can learn and make decisions. Both are right.
Small Holistic Living Take Away
I wrote this in my emotional well-being article, but I feel it should also be reiterated here.
Holistic living emphasizes living your life as a whole. Every decision and action you make, consider how it will impact your overall well-being. Having a healthy relationship in just a few areas of your life is not enough. Every aspect is connected. You must consider yourself as a whole to live your life to the fullest. Interested in learning more? Check out the holistic living portion of my blog here.
Don’t Confuse Your Mental Well-being for Your Emotional Well-being
This took me a while to be able to do. Simply because emotional well-being is closely linked to our mental well-being. Understand that there is so much more to our mental well-being than our emotional state.
For instance, having a good mental state does not mean being impervious, becoming sad, or remaining unaffected by any events. It is a matter of fully processing your experiences and emotions, thus being able to keep moving forward without any hindrance.
Poor mental well-being will make it much more difficult for you to process any experiences or emotions. This causes us to keep reliving situations and the feelings attached to them instead of being able to acknowledge and let go. When we are all into those repetitive cycles, it is draining.
If you read this and could relate, don’t worry! You do not have to stay stuck in that cycle.
Take Control of Your Mental Well-being
I challenge you to learn about that part of yourself. Understand how and why you think the way you do. Once you gain that clarity, then your behaviors become predictable. You’ll be able to help yourself by avoiding specific scenarios because you know yourself.
Confidence comes with knowing yourself. Sometimes we are anxious because we feel unsure of ourselves and our capabilities. Anxiety is an annoying leech that drains you of your energy and mental state. It unknowingly dictates most of your actions and thoughts.
Recommendations
- I spent the first couple of blog articles talking about meditation. If you have not read or tried them out, please give yourself justice by taking time for yourself. You can find those articles here.
- Talk to a therapist. Sometimes we need help, and there is nothing wrong with that. It takes a strong person to notice something is off and an even stronger one to seek help.
- Practice mindfulness. Check out WTF Am I Doing?!: Mindfulness Workbook. This workbook explains in depth what mindfulness is and some of the subjects surrounding it. Learn how you can be mindful of just about any type of activity! Also available on Amazon.
- Keep a journal
- This one will not be appealing to everyone. Still, if it is, this is another beautiful way to promote emotional stability.
- It can also help you to realize when something has changed or if there is an issue early.
- Check out my guided journal Check-In With Yo’self. Prompts are given to you to stimulate your mind and practice mindfulness. Also available on Amazon.
- Don’t become lost in mundane sleep, eating, and work schedules. Experience yourself! Keep your mind active! Learn something new, find a new hobby, and practice an existing one.
- Socialize with others. Whether it is just a phone call or going on an outing.
- Reconnect with nature. You will be surprised at just how calming nature can be.
- Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids or take supplements to help keep your brain healthy.
No matter what you decide to do, give yourself time. Changes do not happen overnight, and it is important not to overwhelm yourself. Take small steps!
