With a new year slowly getting into full swing, you may be attempting to think up various resolutions and goals that you can aim for in the coming months. One of the best targets that you can set to achieve in 2021 is an improved mental wellbeing, as 2020 was a tough year for many that brought with it a number of trials and tribulations. Luckily it needn’t be difficult to take better care of your mind this year, as there are just a few key areas in which you can focus your efforts to ensure you can feel as right as rain in no time at all. So, if you would like to find out more, then read on to uncover some of the best tips and tricks that you can make the most of today!
A Good Diet Matters
Though you may not initially associate your bad mood with the food that you eat, a good diet can actually have a dramatic impact on the way that you feel. Sticking to junk food that’s high in unhealthy ingredients such as saturated fat and sugar can cause all manner of issues from mood swings to fatigue and irritability, so there’s no time like the present to make a change. Making an effort to ensure you can eat a nutritious diet that’s rich in whole foods and fresh fruit and veggies is one of the best things that you can do for the sake of your long term health. A balanced diet made up of complex carbs and lean protein will provide you with a slow, stable release of energy, along with a whole variety of vitamins and minerals that can further boost your wellbeing. If you’re not quite sure about how you can create the best healthy meal plan for you then do not fret, as there are a number of different resources online that can help to show you the ropes in no time. You can even find a seemingly endless supply of healthy recipes that you can follow to whip up a delicious (nutritious!) dish from the comfort of your home, so there’s no need to dial up your local greasy takeaway for a fat filled hit when you could be loading up your plate with a portion of a healthy homemade dish. Eating bad food, especially those which are spicy and fried, can also have an effect on your sleeping pattern. High fat foods can cause indigestion and acid reflux to occur during the night when eaten close to bedtime, so steer clear of these foods if you wish to have a restful nights sleep.
Taking Time Out
The hustle and bustle of a busy lifestyle can easily become too much to handle. Attending a shift at work to be bombarded with requests and expectations, just to get home and be equally pummelled by a never ending reel of questions (and mishaps) presented by your children can be difficult to bear. There are so many negative and stress invoking features to contend with on the daily, from exaggerated news spread across the TV to endless adverts selling caskets and funerals. Taking time out from all of the stress and hassle can offer you the perfect opportunity to restore and rebalance your mental state, allowing you to wipe the slate clean for a refreshed, rejuvenated approach. Put down your mobile phone and switch off any other technology as frequently as you can, allowing yourself to relax and unwind without the drowning sound of a boring television programme distracting you from the task at hand. Meditation is one of the best ways to ensure you can benefit from taking time out, as such a practice can have a dramatic effect on the way that you feel. Start off by seeking out a quiet, comfortable location in which you can sit down and unwind. Focus on your breathing, taking deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth in a slow, rhythmic manner. Aim to focus on your breathing technique, letting go of any other passing thoughts that don't bring joy, relaxing your body and mind to achieve a state of mindfulness. Meditation has been utilised by millions of people for such a long time (potentially more than a thousand years), so it’s definitely a worthwhile practice to pursue if you wish to improve your mental wellbeing this year.
Setting Boundaries
A great way to start improving your mental wellbeing is by making yourself and your needs a main focus, as you have to become your own main priority to stay as happy and healthy as can be. Allowing other people to make decisions on your behalf simply won’t be compatible with your new positive lifestyle, and nor will making others your main priority by taking care of them before taking care of yourself. Learning how to set boundaries can be of real benefit in this respect, as you can make it clear what you will and will not accept from those around you. Setting boundaries in places such as the workplace will ensure you needn’t suffer through any emotional distress, as you can then recognise and leave a toxic situation immediately to seek a more professional solution, letting your colleagues know that you will not be standing for any kind of nonsense that they may be wanting to throw your way. Learning to say no is another important feature, as it’s easy to become overwhelmed when accepting every request left, right and centre. Though it may be tough, saying a firm ‘no’ to any unreasonable requests can give you a sense of freedom and control that you may never otherwise experience. You are completely within your rights to say no to anything, from extra shifts at work to heading out to the bar with your friends, so don’t be afraid to set your own boundaries to feel as comfortable and content as possible.
Improving your mental wellbeing in 2021 has never been so simple when you can make the most of the tricks described above!
