There is so much information out there about mental ill health and what we should and shouldn’t do.
As with most things, knowledge and understanding is power and to know what works for us individually is the no 1 thing.
To be told by someone else what you need to do might not be the best thing. Trying things out and working out what actually does work is the way forward in my experience.
I have tried many things in the past, some successful, some not. The one thing I do know is that whatever I do, I must make it part of my routine and to become part of my everyday/week thing to do. I have to like it, feel the difference and look forward to doing it. It takes time for something to become a habit and we have to be prepared to continue for at least 21 days in order for change to happen.
When lockdown happened, I, and most other people, had to change what was my normal routine. Things I had tried in the past without success suddenly became lifesavers. As the lockdown and the changes to our lives continued for such a long time, these habits are now very much ingrained in me.
My husband calls me the spaniel as I am always eager to get out for a walk. Power walks and ‘normal’ walks are a big part of my life and I feel jittery and impatient if I don’t get out. The impact these walks, and nature in general, have on my mental health is immense.
I am absolutely certain that without them, I would have struggled throughout lockdown in particular. I have never seen myself as an anxious or nervy person, still don’t really. However, to get out in nature, with a friend or on my own, releases any of those feelings and I feel more capable of dealing with whatever life throws at me.
So, do you know what helps you keep stress under control, how to keep those low feelings at bay and what lifts your spirits?
Of course, we can’t always be upbeat and feel good but we can ensure we have a better balance in life by using coping skills.
Some us are very private and feel vulnerable sharing feelings with others so for those people it’s even more important to find what helps them.
This and so much more are things we work with at MRT Consultants.
We are here for any questions you might have!
