With an entire nation facing a pandemic, people have been losing their jobs, businesses are closing down, families and friends are separated from one another, and there is no sense of end in sight. Add to the mix, racial tension, a hostile election, and people trying to work from home, our nation is experiencing a mental health crisis like never before. People are emotionally stressed from trying to figure out work/life balance, as well as experiencing a variety of factors of burnout; from family distractions to zoom overloads, and due to our economic condition, suicide call centers are currently up 800% . Mental Health has become an unspoken threat in America, and it’s time we do something about it. If your mental health has been affected by the current crisis, understand that it’s ok to feel sad, stressed, confused, scared, or even angry, but your mental health is too important to stay that way. With September being ‘Mental Health Awareness Month’, here’s an arsenal of 6 tools to include in your daily practices.
1. Talk to someone about your feelings. Keeping emotions locked inside will only delay the mental healing process. Find someone you trust and simply discuss what you’re feeling. Whether it’s a family, friend, or a professional counselor/therapist, find someone that will allow you to divulge your feelings without judgment.
2. Get plenty of sleep. Studies show that our mental health is directly linked to the amount of sleep we get. Sleep Deprivation may increase your risk of developing a mental illness, as well as be a contributor to those who already experience mental health disorders. Getting 8-10 hours is crucial for your mental health.
3. Do something active. Staying in bed or on the couch all day is a huge contributor to depression. When you exercise or do another physical activity, your brain releases endorphins- the chemical known to make you happy.
4. Try meditating. Benefits from meditation range from lower levels of anxiety and depression to suppression of diseases like irritable bowel syndrome, psoriasis, PTSD, and more. Longterm meditation also helps you build a resiliency to stress.
5. Help others in need. My dad always taught me that when you’re feeling down, the best thing you can do is help someone else. It takes the focus off of your own problems for a period of time. Helping others also releases dopamine and serotonin, which gives you a jolt of “helper’s high” for doing a good deed.
6. Say Daily Affirmations. Every day you say things to yourself that your subconscious mind stores up and reminds you of later. If what you’re saying is negative, that’s what will continue to run through your head throughout the day. Affirmations are one of the best ways to change your negative thought patterns into more positive ones. Try replacing, “I’m tired and feel sad,” with, “I feel energetic and happy today”. It may feel strange at first, but with enough repetition, your subconscious will actually start to believe it.
NOW is the time to take action and get into a more positive state of mind. I want to encourage you to try one of these six solutions per week until you find the right combination that works for you.
How can you be part of the mental health solution? First, share this article with someone else who can benefit from it as well. Second, check in with your family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors to make sure they’re mentally in a good place. Third, Bring Betsy Allen-Manning in to energize & engage your group with her live or virtual Mental Impact program. Known as one of the best motivational speakers in Dallas Texas, Betsy will give your group the tools they’ll need to get on the right track mentally, take charge of their thoughts, and gain a sense of hope for the future.
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Featured on FOX, CBS, ABC, NBC & TEDx , Betsy Allen-Manning is the founder of the consulting firm, Motiv8u Enterprises, and is a top-rated keynote speaker; known for inspiring people with her story of going from failure…to worldwide singer…to global impactor. With an expertise in human behavior and experience working as a manager for Disney & 5-star hotels, Betsy is honored to have trained over 7,500 leaders & teams for small businesses, franchises & associations, to multi-billion dollar corporations, such as Toshiba, Fidelity, Six Flags & The U.S. Dept. of Defense . An author of 3 books, Betsy’s mission is to develop the ‘Impact Leader’ in everyone, so they can live a more successful & significant life. Known as one of the best female motivational speakers in Dallas,
Betsy’s energy is contagious, her stories are inspiring, her takeaways are relatable & her interaction makes every keynote fun and engaging! Hire one of the top leadership speakers in Texas and one of the best motivational speakers in Dallas, Betsy Allen-Manning, to speak at your next conference, summit, leadership meeting, women’s, association or faith-based event. 972-556-5244
