January is National Wellness Month: Learn Easy Steps Towards Developing A Positive Mindset, A Key Co

Having a positive mindset enables you to cope better with life and stressful situations. With a positive outlook, you tend to be emotionally well and resilient. Living life with resiliency, leads to fewer negative emotions and self-talk, making it easier to bounce back from life’s difficulties more quickly. Resilience and mental wellbeing go hand in hand, making it possible for a person to hold onto positive emotions and appreciate the good times.

Simple steps to take for a positive mindset

• Don’t lose sight of your good deeds. Remember to give yourself credit for and be grateful for the opportunity to be of service to others.
• Be kind to yourself. You won’t always be perfect, and mistakes will be made. Keep that in mind, everyone makes mistakes, learn from them, and move on without dwelling on the mistake.
• Develop a practice of gratitude. It helps to maintain a positive mindset by being thankful for the positives, no matter how small.
• Create a support system. Spend time with your support system who can healthily support your journey.
• Take time to familiarize yourself with your meaning and purpose in life. Use your principles as a guide to how you live your life.
• Live a healthy life. Healthy nutrition, physical activity, and regular sleep have an enormous impact on your mental wellbeing.

Stress is felt by everyone and to varying degrees and at various times. Your body reacts to stress by increasing adrenaline with a rush of energy when needed. Chronic stress though is long-lasting and can be harmful and cause serious health problems including mental health issues, personality disorders, and cardiovascular disease.

Tools and tricks to manage your stress

• Get enough sleep. Your body and mind repair themselves during sleep. It is important to get good, uninterrupted 7 or more hours of sleep a night for your body to fully repair.
• Exercise. Getting physical exercise every day boosts your mood and reduces stress.
• Take self-care seriously. Schedule in time each day for relaxing activities like yoga and meditation.

Being mindful is about being aware of what is happening around you. When you actively practice mindfulness, you live your life fully instead of living on ‘autopilot.’

Tips to get started with a mindful practice

• Deep breathing. Focus your attention on your breath, inhale and exhale. When you concentrate on your breath, without trying to control or change it, it is a form of meditation and is effective in reducing anxiety, symptoms of depression, and promotes restful sleep.
• Practice mindful eating. Like breathing, when you focus on the taste, texture, and flavors of each bite, you experience a non-judgmental awareness of internal and external cues, sensations, and emotions.

Strengthening social connections can help to protect your health and lengthen your life. Your support system can have powerful effects on your emotional and physical health.

Here’s how to build a healthy support system for yourself

• Build strong relationships with your children. The parent-child relationship nurtures physical, emotional, and social development, and ensures secure attachment. People with secure attachments tend to feel stable, safe, and more satisfied with life in general.
• Get active in groups. Sharing positive, healthy lifestyle activities with like-minded people can help you to feel understood and comfortable enough to share your dreams without the fear of being judged.
• Learn something new. Learning something new makes you a more interesting person and improves the quality of life by deepening the relationships you have, improving your self-esteem, and providing you with a sense of purpose.
• Travel to unusual places and meet new people. Traveling to unfamiliar places, and meeting new people is a wonderful way to strengthen your social skills. 

If you would like to schedule an appointment or consultation with our specialized staff, please call our office at 469-200-4093. At Compassionate Psychiatric Services we treat a variety of mental health issues for your consideration. 

For more information visit our website at www.compassionatepsychiatry.org