Carry on Beautiful!

If your mental health is sometimes a bit more down that it is up, then it is especially important to take good care of yourself. I make a fair amount of posts about my mental health both on here and on Instagram so regular readers should know a little bit about that part of me already! Anyway, back to how to take care of yourself! There are many ways that you can do this, and they can make a difference in your life. Check out my suggestions below!

 

Self Care

 

The first thing that you can do if you are struggling is to do something nice for yourself. Not because you feel like you deserve it, but just because. We shouldn’t have to earn every kindness in life.

 

Cooking your favourite meal is a nice idea, or spending some time on a creative project can work wonders with your mood. Try drawing, making music or painting as a way to getting into the ‘flow’ of life. 

For me, self care can be as simple as washing my hair with a really nice smelling shampoo and conditioner set or watching one of my favourite films. It doesn’t have to be a big expensive lush spa day (although that would be great), just something small that makes you feel happier and a bit more relaxed.

 

Rest

It’s also pretty vital that if you are having one of those pesky not so good days, that you take some rest if you need it. The world seems to be set up to make you push through, even the most uncomfortable of feelings. That’s why it’s up to you to say no, ‘I’m going to stop and recharge my body and mind.’

 

Getting good quality rest is essential for processing your emotion and experiences and can make a massive difference to your mood. So if you need a relaxing day in front of Netflix, then take it. The ironing will wait. 

Not everyone has time to take a full day out though, which is where mindfulness can come in handy. I’m trying to get more into but I’m not really feeling it if I’m honest. It’s worth looking into since I know it does so much good for so many people!

 

Something to Look Forward To

 

Another important aspect of managing your mood is to know that moods do not last forever. This can give you hope if you are in a particularly bad patch, as you know if you can just wait it out, things will improve eventually.

 

A useful way of helping you to get through the bad bits to the good bits is to have something to look forward to. Purchasing tickets to watch your favorite band, or booking a holiday can give you that motivation to push through the tough times. This is because there is something worth getting through them for.

Again, it doesn’t even have to be expensive! I’m personally really looking forward to ‘Captain Fantastic’ coming out in the cinema later this month and its only going to cost me £8 to go see it….if we don’t include the popcorn, drinks and possibly a hot dog that I’m also going to buy.

Is travel is your thing, but the thought of going traveling independently is overwhelming when you are feeling low? Then why not consider an escorted tour? Tours such as these allow you to see all the important sites a country has to offer, with the reassurance of being taken from one place to another. You can even choose how you get to travel. By coach rail or river. Click here for some more information. I think this would also be great for people that are just anxious in general, like myself. I love traveling but the idea of having to plan everything myself, get around on my own and everything else is beyond over whelming. 

 

Being Authentic

 

Another important thing for you to do when you are feeling down is to have some time when you can be authentic. There is a lot of pressure on people to be ‘up’ all the time. To not talk about their problems or show that they are struggling. But this is exhausting and can be counter productive.

 

If you are concerned with putting too much pressure on your loved ones, due to your mental health, then speak to a professional. A counselor will be trained in dealing with authentic feelings and can provide a great container for you to express what you are going through.

As well as this, there are all kinds of online services now so that you don’t have to see someone face to face if you’re having a really terrible day. And, at the end of the day, the people who love you will always be happy to listen to you. I know that I have no problem at all just listening to my family and friends talk about things that are bothering or upsetting them, its shows that they trust me and it also helps me to feel more comfortable talking to them about my issues in return.

 

I hope this post manages to help someone through a rough day even just a little bit! I have plenty of days where I need a post like this so fingers crossed that if you needed something, this is it!

-Dana