Mental Health: 8 Simple Activities That Will Boost and Guard Your Mental Well-Being

I’m here to let you know that it’s okay not to be okay.

Not every day of the calendar brings with it joy. Most days, if anything, maybe filled with little upsets that are powerful enough to drain you of enthusiasm.

There’s a fight for your mental health. Forces trying to rob you of your peace of mind.

But there’s good news and that is, you have the power over your mental health.

There is something you can do about it!

I also want you to know that your mental health is as good as how well you take care of it.

I also want you to know that your mental health is as good as how well you take care of it.

Being passive about it and expecting to be okay is a lie. You need to take responsibility for your mental health.

For example, some of us just need to learn how to say no and most of our mental health problems will disappear!

Having said that, know this:

How you feel is connected to the quality of thoughts you have. That’s why it’s important to think about what you’re thinking about

If you’re like me, I often thought that mental health only applied to people who struggled with a mental illness like depression or had severe mental conditions that necessitated their admission to a mental facility.

How ignorant and wrong I was about that!

I am grateful for the conversations revolving around mental health that educated me on what mental health is.

What Mental Health Is Not

To understand what mental health is, a good place to start is by defining what it’s not.

Mental health is not the absence of mental health problems. It’s not only suffering from depression, having anxiety attacks, or severe mental conditions.

Mental health is the total well-being of the individual; i.e. mind, body and emotions.

This means that your mental health incorporates how you think, feel, and behave every day.

It also refers to how you handle stress, difficult circumstances, and how you recover from tough situations that come along the way.

A necessary point to note here is that everyone at one point struggles with their mental health.

You’re not alone.

As long as you’re alive you will face hardships. The only difference is how you handle the hurdles you face.

I like to think of the hurdles I face as an opportunity to grow.

Don’t ever think that undergoing mental stress shouldn’t be happening or that there’s something wrong with you.

Instead of judging yourself, embrace and treat the situation as something normal and make it a habit of telling yourself that you will overcome the upsetting situation no matter how long it takes.

Hindrances To Your Mental Health

Another important point to note is what we do that prevents us from productively handling our mental health.

· Cultural Expectations/Setting

In some cultures, mental health matters are seen as less legitimate as compared to physical matters. They’re seen as weakness or as excuses for failing to do one’s best in a situation.

Some even go as far as ostracizing the individual as having some sort of “evil spirit” in them.

· Minimization

Unfortunately, well-meaning people can minimize an individual struggling with a mental health issue by making them feel or telling them to “snap out of it”.

This is potentially dangerous as the person isn’t encouraged to share their problem with someone, so they end up bottling up the issue.

· Hurry/Haste

In a world that celebrates speed and with the rise of technology, it further drives this idea of speed.

Because of that, we tend to apply quick-fix solutions to complex problems and that’s no way to handle them.

There are no simple answers to complexities, the easy way won’t cut it.

Issues of great magnitude need to be approached with patience, empathy, and understanding. Rushing through it doesn’t solve the problem.

Sometimes the only path to healing is the long and messy road. Don’t be afraid to take it if it’s what leads you to true freedom.

Activities to Maintaining a Healthy Mental Space

1. Pray

This isn’t a religious activity. It’s as I like defining it, having a conversation with God.

Debriefing with God about issues that create mental stress and emotional pressure in you is critical to maintaining a healthy mental state.

Yes, you can and should talk to God about the things you would rather not talk about.

Here’s a good rule of thumb to apply when you’re in doubt of talking it out with God: If it’s too messy and shameful to mention, that’s a good reason to tell it to God.

If you think that God doesn’t hear, you’re mistaken. God listens and answers prayers in ways we often don’t imagine but he hears us when we pray.

Take comfort in the fact that God not only hears but that He wants to hear about what’s troubling you and He genuinely cares for you.

2. Exercise

We all know this because we’ve heard it said so many times but it doesn’t hurt to list it as one of the activities that help in alleviating the mental upset.

I’m no doctor or physical therapist but I do know that exercise helps release happy hormones called Endorphins that elevate your spirit and emotions.

The exercise doesn’t have to be anything physically intense, it can be as simple as taking a walk. Walking comes in highly recommended as an effective means of keeping fit.

Incorporate it as a form of exercise if you’re wondering what to do.

Should you be looking for other options, check out this link and I’m sure you’ll find something for yourself.

https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/at-home-workouts

3. Laugh

I don’t know about you but I do love to have a good laugh.

How often do you laugh?

I discovered a secret that keeps my ribs cracking always: TikTok. Yep. TikTok always comes in handy when I need a hard laugh.

And no, it’s not immature to watch silly videos, I mean, people make a living out of it!

So don’t shy away from finding a form of entertainment that leaves you laughing loud and hard.

I truly believe that laughter is the best medicine. It’s good for your body and it always leaves you feeling much better.

4. Serve

Using your time to serve a cause that you’re passionate about or strongly believe in goes a long way to boosting your mental health.

It’s an effective means as it opens your eyes to opportunities, and discoveries as well as taking the focus away from your struggles.

A bonus in serving is that it always improves another person’s state directly or indirectly.

There are many places where your service can be of great benefit such as homes for the elderly, orphanages, churches, volunteer programs (that might involve traveling to different places which is a lot of fun), internships in organizations, etc.

Look beyond yourself and see where your services can be of help to someone who’s in need.

There’s always someone who’s in a worse-off position than you.

5. Stay Connected

You might think because of social media we’re more connected. That’s true but it’s also untrue. How’s that possible?

You see, the ugly side of social media is that it’s made us lonelier and despising of our real lives because we compare our lives to the online lives that have been choreographed to look amazing.

Just because you have many friends and followers on social media doesn’t mean you are loved, supported, or have a strong connection with people.

Connection comes by actually knowing the person and having an existing relationship where they know more about you than the basics.

You need people in your life that know you well enough to know when you’re not okay. You need a support system to be there for you when it gets too crazy.

This is real life and there’s no time to pretend that everything’s okay just for the sake of impressing people who don’t even know your nickname!

Invest in relationships even if it’s only with one person.

That’s way better than having a crowd following you on social media that has no idea about you other than the posts they see on your feed.

I’ll let you in on a painful truth that can liberate you from the pressure of being overly concerned about your online social life.

No one thinks or cares about what you do, where you go, or why you exist. People only think of themselves and how they can improve their lives.

That’s not to say they’re mean, however, the truth is, everyone cares more about their business.

So whether you went on vacation to Malindi or Malibu, that’s not their concern. They’ll probably make nice or nasty comments about it but shortly afterward they forget about it and move on.

6. Engage In A Hobby

Appeal to your senses, do something that you love.

It could be taking a cup of coffee, binge-watching a movie, having a bar of chocolate, ice cream, a slice of your favorite cake, listening to music, swimming, baking, drawing, writing, dancing, hiking, etc.

Having a good time is not an indulgence, it’s a way to maintain a healthy mental space.

Let no one guilt trip you for engaging in a hobby regularly. Remember it’s not about them, it’s about your mental health and general wellness.

A good motto to go by here is; anything enjoyable is worth overdoing.

It pays such huge dividends to your well-being.

7. Work

Work is good.

Besides having rest and play to break work and have balance, work allows you to express your talents, and gifts constructively and beneficially.

Mark you, this isn’t about laborious tasks that drain the energy out of you. It’s something you can do and enjoy.

Take part in work that challenges your creativity and makes you feel productive, whether or not you get paid for it.

Work contributes to the overall feeling of meaning and purpose which is crucial to your mental well-being.

8. Eat Healthy Food

If you haven’t already, I’m sure you’ve heard people say they “stress-eat”.

Eating in a way is a comfort zone for many as it’s one item you have control over (it’s not like the food will talk back to you and refuse to be eaten).

Food releases chemicals in our body that results in a “feel-good” feeling.

In my case, chocolates always do it.

Eating is good for us but we need to check the quality of the food we take down in our bodies.

You may not be aware how much of what you eat and don’t eat affects the way you think and feel.

An unhealthy diet can take a toll on your brain and mood. For instance, it can disrupt your sleep, and weaken your immune system.

On the other hand, eating a healthy diet, can give you more energy, improve your sleep, and help you to look and feel your best.

Bonus Tip To Boost Your Mental Health

My last intention is to overwhelm you with many tips, but I also don’t want to leave you unarmed when the battle for your mental well-being comes in like a hurricane.

Because I genuinely care, I’ll give you one more tip.

It may be cliché but it’s a phrase that’s a great stress reliever for me and it may be for you too.

Here it is! It’s never that serious.

True to the phrase, it never really is that serious! And you know why? Because it’ll all be over and soon everything’s going to be okay.

Your phrase may not be that one, it may be “It is well” or “it’s going to be alright”.

The point is, it’s a phrase that’s simple but that leaves you feeling much better.

Make it a habit of repeating that phrase and truly believe it because you’re only one thought away from feeling and doing great.

There’s a lot more that can be said about mental health but the most important thing is to commit to guarding and boosting your mental health as long as you live.