Evidence suggests these five steps can improve your mental health and wellbeing. Trying these things could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.
1 • Connect
Good relationships can help us to build a sense of belonging and self-worth, give us an opportunity to share positive experiences, and enable us to emotionally support to others.
By connecting with friends, family and colleagues, we are able to feel good about the positive difference we make to other people’s lives and appreciate the impact that they make on ours.
2 • Exercise
Being active is great for physical health and fitness, it can also improve mental wellbeing by raising your self-esteem.
Exercising releases chemicals in your brain which can help to positively change your mood. Sporting activities – like football – can also make you feel like you are an important part of something special.
3 • Learn
Learning new skills can improve your mental wellbeing by boosting your self-belief, enabling you to feel a sense of purpose and helping you to connect with other like-minded people.
Even if you feel like you do not have enough time, or you may not need any new skills, there are lots of different ways to bring learning into your life.
4 • Give
Acts of giving and kindness can help improve your mental wellbeing by creating positive feelings and a sense of reward, giving you a feeling of purpose and self-worth, and helping you connect with other people. This could mean small acts of kindness, like donating to a charity, or larger ones like volunteering within your local community.
5 • Mindfulness
Mindfulness is about paying attention to the world around us and the moment we’re living in. Yoga is an activity commonly associated with mindfulness – but there are loads of different techniques you can try. Even something as simple as allowing yourself five minutes each day to think about the world is a great way to start.
