A topic that isn’t discussed enough in our lives is in regards to our mental health and mental well-being. Given the circumstances the entire globe is currently facing as a whole, such as the pandemic, has taken an enormous toll on the mental health of many.
Your mental health is pivotal in allowing you to live the happy, healthy, and fulfilled life you should be living. More times than not people aren’t comfortable with sharing their feelings and personal thoughts with others and usually tend to keep their emotions bottled up. Although this is a very easy thing to do, it is indeed not healthy for your well-being.This is why we at the Paseo Club feel that it is entirely necessary to provide you with some ways to help you improve your mental health. We can’t guarantee that these will work for you, but reading this article is a step in the right direction to having control over your mental health positively.
1.) Journal
For those individuals who like to keep their thoughts to themselves, then journaling may be for you. Writing allows individuals to express themselves freely without feeling judged or pressured by others.
By finding a quiet space where you feel comfortable writing promotes your deep thinking process and allows you to let go of all your emotions and thoughts that are weighing you down daily.
When our mental health is experiencing a low, it is easy to feel as if we don’t have a purpose and struggle to grasp the importance and meaning of our existence. At the beginning and end of each day take some time to reflect on the things you are grateful for and write them down.
Amid all the craziness life has to offer we often stray away from what is important and forget to think about all the good that surrounds us. As hard as it may be at times to see the good in life, there is always something positive every day, and sometimes you just have to reflect and write about it to realize it.
2.) Form A Routine
Sometimes inconsistency in our lives can add to our stress levels thus causing negative impacts on our mental health. If you are ever feeling lost, confused, or struggling to find normalcy in your life, then maybe making a weekly routine would be beneficial to you.
When making a routine whether it is simple or detailed, it gives you an extra sense of purpose when you wake up in the morning. Knowing you have things to get done every day and following through with them, gives you a feeling of accomplishment.
Having a visual layout in front of you every day, knowing what events are to come, also allows you to keep track of your weekly schedule, and giving you that capability to add more to your plate in your free time if you want, or even make time for yourself to do other things that promote your mental health and personal growth.
3.) Meditation
It is no secret that when your mental health is taking a toll, that your stress levels may be increased due to the imbalance and unhappiness you may be experiencing. Meditation is an excellent way to get rid of that unnecessary and unwanted stress.
Whether you want to take meditation classes with a professional instructor, or you want to partake in meditation from the comfort of your home, or wherever it may be, meditation allows you to relax and essentially become centered with yourself, regardless of the location.
If you are unsure how to begin meditation, then no worries, there are thousands of videos on youtube and podcasts everywhere that will guide you through your meditation. Meditation has so many benefits in promoting your mental health.
Meditation can be something as simple as working on deep breathing exercises. Deep breathing meditation allows you to gain control over your breathing, and this can lower your heart rate causing you to enter a very relaxed state.
If you are ever feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or in a negative state of mind, then it is recommended to take up meditation to help you relieve all these negative externalities from your life, and get you moving towards positively maintaining your mental health.
4.) Reading
Regardless of your age, you are always learning new information. An excellent way to promote your mental health and increase your knowledge is by reading. There are hundreds of thousands of books in the reading world and there is no doubt that you can find one that you are interested in.
Finding a quiet place where you can indulge in a good book is excellent because it gives you time for yourself to escape reality and all the stress you may carry. What is so excellent about reading is that you can do it anywhere.
Whether you want to read a book digitally or you have a hard copy that is easily accessible, you can partake in this pastime almost whenever you want. Maybe you want to read during your break, or while waiting in a doctor's office, no matter where you are, you can always find time to read.
If you're ready to read a new book of your choice, stop by your local library and rent a book, or your local bookstore to purchase one, or even Amazon and have it delivered at your doorsteps. The time is now to increase your happiness and work on your mental health.
5.) Explore Nature
You have the world in the palm of your hand when you are in nature. Nature is an excellent form of therapy to improve and promote your mental health. There is nothing more relaxing than a nice breath of fresh air.
The beauty of nature is not only in itself but in the convenience of which you can experience it. You have the privilege of walking out your front door and taking in the beauty of which surrounds you.
Nature is extremely therapeutic and gives you the time to become appreciative of all the things life has to offer. Whether you want to be alone or with a friend then you can do so.
Especially with the pandemic and mandates of having to stay indoors for days to weeks at a time, you become so consumed in the atmosphere of your home that your mental health can face negative effects.
Take some time out of your schedule to allow yourself to get some fresh vitamin D. Whether it is a walk in the park, a picnic, or even a camping trip, getting outside in nature can be essential to some wanting to improve their mental health.
6.) Self Care
Oftentimes in life, many individuals get caught up with taking care of others that they forget to take care of themselves. It is highly important to make sure that you have time to personally take care of any needs you may have.
Many forms of self-care can help you to keep up with your needs and necessities. Such as the many options we have discussed prior. If none of those seem like they are right for you then maybe a nice spa day would be great.
There are many places where you can tend to your needs of self-care, for instance, you can get yourself a massage at a local spa to destress yourself and relax any tense muscles you may have.
If you want something a little different, then maybe using a sauna or a steam room would be beneficial to you. Saunas and steam rooms are very helpful in allowing you to improve your deep breathing and reduce any stress you may be carrying.
The heat of the sauna and steam rooms allows individuals to release toxins from their body and their “happy hormone”; Oxytocin. It is highly effective and recommended that you should use either a sauna or steam room daily if you experience high levels of stress.
7.) Fuel Your Body Properly
A sign of deteriorating mental and physical health can be from a lack of proper nutrition. It is of great importance that you are taking care of your body and giving it the proper vitamins, minerals, and substances it needs to function efficiently.
Many people struggle with eating healthy and properly and want some sort of guidance or assistance in doing so. Luckily there are people to help with this, from nutritionists to health and fitness experts, there are individuals who are wanting to get you on the right track to a proper diet.
It is proven that without the right nutrients in your body, it will not perform its best, thus taking a toll on your mental and physical health.
8.) Form New Connections
Sometimes in life, we feel as if we are going through things alone. An excellent way to boost your mental health is to mingle and expand your social circle through various activities. Whether you meet someone on a nature walk, while reading a book at your local library, or wherever it may be, everyone can always make a new friend.
Friendships and new connections allow people to share a deeper connection with others, express their feelings to others, and even share similar life experiences.
9.) Physical Activity
A great way to reduce stress and improve your mental health is by doing some physical activity. There are all sorts of physical activities that you can take part in to release and build up emotions and or tension you may have in your body.
Here at the Paseo Club, we have a wide range of activities for individuals of all ages to do. We have everything from tennis, pickleball, pilates, yoga, weight training, swimming, and more. There is no doubt that you experience a feeling of accomplishment after an intense workout.
So if you are looking to work out alone or in a group by taking one of our group classes, then we recommend you try out our club. For further information as to what we offer here, check out our website for more information.
Ready to see how a social club can benefit your mental health?
It is important to know that you are not alone if you are struggling with your mental help. There are thousands of people just like you who are in a constant battle with themselves daily.
The methods that we discussed above won’t work for everyone and aren’t a guarantee of fixing your mental health completely. But we do promise that they will help and are a step in the right direction to improving yourself as a whole.
Whether you implement these methods into your life daily or even monthly, they will help you to release the built-up emotions and stress you have potentially accumulated during this pandemic.
Even if you have been struggling with mental health complications for a while, know that people are willing to help you and want to help you become the best version of yourself, and to ensure that you are living the fulfilled, happy, and life you are intended to live.
If you think the Paseo Club may be an excellent fit for you and a great way to get you involved in fitness activities and improve your overall mental health then we highly recommend you sign up for a 7-day free trial here at the Paseo Club to see if it is the right fit for you.
Jen Azevedo is a tennis professional, pickleball professional, personal trainer, group exercise instructor, and the general manager of the Paseo Club. She loves the community at the Paseo Club and that it is also a safe and fun place for her daughter. Jen’s favorite activities are joining her tribe for trail races or her partners for tennis matches. Occasionally Jen slows down to relax with a book — she reads over 100 a year!
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