Today is World Mental Health Day and while it can seem difficult to tackle such a heavy issue, it’s always helpful to remember that “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” With that in mind we turned to Hillary Schoninger, LCSW, an individual and family psychotherapist, and asked her to single out small things we can practice to help improve our mental health.
Be present with your feelings while being self-compassionate.
“We often forget that our feelings are temporary, which can lead us to be hurtful to ourselves. Remembering that not all of our feelings are true or permanent can help us be more aware so that we can choose to be kind to ourselves.”
Reach out to people who understand your challenges and your victories.
“When you have genuine support around you that can recognize your challenges while encouraging you, this can help you from staying stuck.”
Be aware of judgement.
“Judgmentmental-ness in the extremes can be toxic and prevent us from seeing the positive things in life. When we cultivate positive thinking, we will be less available for judgmental attitudes while not limiting ourselves.”
Find ways to give back.
“When you can be of service to others, you can connect to others while gaining often-needed perspective. Find something that speaks to your heart, and get involved. Gratitude often comes easily to us when we can help others.”
Take your mental health as seriously as your physical health.
“When we can commit to seeing our mental and physical health as equal, we are choosing to care for ourselves in a holistic and realistic way.”
