We all need a blast of positivity on occasion, and if you’ve been feeling down and are looking for ways to give your positivity a kick, then you may be wondering about the best ways to accomplish that. One of the issues when it comes to negativity is that it can drain you of motivation and energy, and even prevent you from making healthy decisions regarding your diet or the choice of whether to go and meet friends rather than staying at home and isolating yourself. The trick is to take small steps, and use those smaller boosts to prompt those larger decisions. If you’re looking for the small changes you can make that will give your mental health a boost, here are your starting points.
Read
It’s surprising just how good for you reading can be. Research has shown that not only can reading reduce your stress, it can even help you to live longer. And that’s not all, either, as picking up a good book has been proven to increase your vocabulary and memory, and it can even help to combat Alzheimer’s and depression. It doesn’t matter if your reading choice is The Bible, the latest YA novel, or even 50 Shades of Grey, the simple act of focusing your attention will distract you from your negativity and leave you feeling a positive sense of satisfaction and achievement. You may even find that regular reading promotes feelings of empathy and can even improve your social skills, all while giving you the chance to explore the perspectives and lives of others. So if you’re looking to reduce your stress levels and explore entirely new worlds, then perhaps it’s time to sit back and pick up that book you’ve been meaning to get to.
Eat the right foods
When you’re feeling down, it’s all too easy to just grab the nearest ready meal and throw it into the microwave. The motivation required to buy the ingredients, prepare them and cook them can be incredibly daunting when your energy levels are low, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Ultimately, you’re looking for foods that are able to keep your sugar levels at a constant, and provide that slow release energy that will keep your motivation at optimum levels for longer. Snacks like nuts and cereals can be much better for you than you think, and including them and other mentally positive foods into your daily diet will be incredibly beneficial.
Write it down
Just like reading, the act of writing gives you a focus that will distract you from your environment. That’s why so many people make the decision to start journals when they are feeling down. A journal gives you an outlet, and if you use it in the right way, it can be very therapeutic. Use your journal to highlight the positives of your day, and remember to take into account the smaller accomplishments. The cashier you made smile, the compliment you paid to your neighbor about their garden, even those small achievements should be rewarded, and just seeing them written down can act as a positive reinforcement. If a journal doesn’t seem like the right outlet for you, then allow yourself to get creative with poems, short stories, or even contemplate writing your memoirs!
Get help
No matter how tempting it is to treat your issues alone, never underestimate the benefits of getting help. Often, this is the first step that people take when it comes to tackling negativity, and if you’re suffering from something a little more severe than simply being a bit down, then professional advice is highly advisable. However, many people feel uncomfortable talking to their doctor, and mistrust pharmaceutical solutions. That’s why techniques like Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) are growing in popularity, as they are non-intrusive and have no adverse side-effects. Make sure that you use professionals like Beverly Hills TMS, and you may be very surprised by the final results and lack of side-effects.
Reconnect IRL
There’s no disputing the fact that we spend far too much of our time staring at screens and scrambling for likes and shares that gives us that little endorphin boost. This is a very unsatisfying way to tackle your negativity, and one of the best ways to give yourself a boost is to disconnect for a while. People seem to forget that although we live in a world where we can be connected 24 hours a day, we also have the power to disconnect at will. Turn your phone off and reconnect with your friends and family in more beneficial ways. Go for a coffee with your best friend, make the time to visit your friends and family, and build those relationships in much more meaningful ways than commenting on their Facebook status.
Get outside
Being outside is not just important for us, it may actually be essential. Taking the time to have a leisurely stroll through forests and parks, or even going for an invigorating hike, can be incredibly therapeutic, and research has shown that being outside can decrease the presence of cortisol in the body which is one of the major signifiers of stress. If you’re looking for a boost to your self-esteem, then a simple walk through a forest has been shown to decrease depression and anxiety, so taking the time to schedule some outdoor time into your busy schedule may be far more important than you may have considered. Natural environments are restorative and relaxing, and if you’re hoping to give yourself a mental boost, there’s little better than getting out into the fresh air.
If you’re feeling frustrated by the stresses and negativity of daily life, then these small steps can act as the first stepping stones to the bigger changes. One of the biggest problems when it comes to negative mental health is the lack of motivation and inspiration that follow, which is why it’s important to tackle the problem before it becomes too difficult to cope with. Making small changes to your day can have significant effects, and provide you with the energy and enthusiasm to consider the grander transformations.