Want To Learn More About Mental Health and Recovery Topics? Keep Reading.
SELF-CARE:
Self-care means taking the time to do things that help you live well and improve both your physical health and mental health. When it comes to your mental health, self-care can help you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy. Even small acts of self-care in your daily life can have a big impact.
Here are some tips to help you get started with self-care:
- GET REGULAR EXERCISE: Just 30 minutes of walking every day can help boost your mood and Improve your health. Small amounts of exercise add up, so don’t be discouraged if you can’t do 30 minutes at one time.
- EAT HEALTHY, REGULAR MEALS AND STAY HYDRATED: A balanced diet and plenty of water can improve your energy and focus throughout the day. Also, limit caffeinated beverages such as soft drinks or coffee.
- MAKE SLEEP A PRIORITY: Stick to a schedule, and make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Bluelight from devices and screens can make it harder to fall asleep, so reduce blue light exposure from your phone or computer before bedtime.
- TRY A RELAXING ACTIVITY: Explore relaxation or wellness programs or apps, which may incorporate meditation, muscle relaxation, or breathing exercises. Schedule regular times for these and other healthy activities you enjoy such as journaling.
- SET GOALS AND PRIORITIES: Decide what must get done now and what can wait. Learn to say “no” to new tasks if you start to feel like you’re taking on too much. Try to be mindful of what you have accomplished at the end of the day, not what you have been unable to do.
- PRACTICE GRATITUDE: Remind yourself daily of things you are grateful for. Be specific. Write them down at night, or replay them in your mind.
- FOCUS ON POSITIVITY: Identify and challenge your negative and unhelpful thoughts.
STAY CONNECTED: Reach out to your friends or family members who can provide emotional support and practical help.
Self-care looks different for everyone, and it is important to find what you need and enjoy. It may take trial and error to discover what works best for you. In addition, although self-care is not a cure for mental illnesses, understanding what causes or triggers your mild symptoms and what coping techniques work for you can help manage your mental health.
Good self-care can take on many forms. It could be ensuring we get enough sleep every night or stepping outside for a few minutes of some fresh air. It can also mean taking the time to do what we enjoy. Practicing self-care helps reduce anxiety and burnout. You want to make sure you do self-care each and every day. Even if it is only one act of care a day, it can make a huge difference in your health.
SELF-CONFIDENCE
What is self-confidence, anyway? Confidence is hard to define, but self-confidence generally refers to a sense of comfort with yourself and your instincts and a belief that you can trust your own abilities, knowledge, and judgment.
Confident people welcome new challenges because they know that they are reasonably up to the challenge. And their self-worth doesn’t hinge on the outcome. They’ll try their best and are motivated to pursue their goals without overthinking or internalizing too much.
They approach things in life without uncertainty and nerves.
Rather than being judgmental or hostile toward other people’s success, confident people celebrate others and feel genuine happiness for them rather than envy or comparison. They are inspired to learn what they can about how others succeed. They don’t rationalize others’ successes or their own failures.
They may not be positive all the time, but they do keep a growth mindset. When they make a mistake, they usually can see the humor and are more likely to respond with laughter and easily overcome insecurity or shame.
People can be confident in specific areas of their lives, too. Some are more confident in their athletic abilities than their cooking expertise. Others could be confronted with a lack of confidence in certain academic subjects.
The areas where people feel self-confident often represent what they’re most passionate about in life.
Getting self-confidence is about creating it for yourself. Getting self-confidence is about doing, about taking action to start believing in yourself. To gain self-confidence is like gaining any skill. It takes determination and practice and involves doing things, big and small, over time.
Getting self-confidence can feel like a catch-22. It requires actions and practice to acquire it, yet a lack of self-confidence can make any action feel impossible. For that reason, it can be tempting to wait until you have a little more self-confidence before really diving in and taking action to get more self-confidence. Unfortunately, without doing things to build this skill, self-confidence won’t develop.
Gaining self-confidence, then, is about doing things in spite of insecurities and anxieties.
Everyone can learn how to be more confident in different, powerful ways. What may work for some may not work for all, and that’s okay.
Here are 11 ways to help build self-confidence:
1) Stop comparing yourself to others
2) Celebrate and reflect on your wins
3) Embrace your failures and view them as learning opportunities
4) Step out of your comfort zone
5) Treat yourself with respect
6) Have positive self-talk or affirmation sessions
7) Track your progress
8) Pursue passions that make you happy
9) Allow yourself to be curious
10) Think about your big goals
11) Stand up for yourself
Self-confidence doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from repeated practice and small successes that build into large successes. With the right commitment and effort, you can build your self-confidence in a short period of time, and as you continue with the positive habits, your self-confidence will continue to grow.
