Good mental health is characterized by channelling emotions through positive thoughts. This means having confidence in the challenges that life presents us every day and being well prepared to build lasting relationships and mutual affection with others.
What are the indicators of good mental health? Among the many indicators are: a good mood and enthusiasm for life, a clear and open willingness to learn continuously, a desire to experience new things, a positive attitude and, of course, a constant renewal of life’s aims and objectives.
Enjoying leisure time and doing pleasant and stimulating activities not only broadens our vision of the world, but also connects us to ourselves and the desire to live.
What factors compromise mental health?
Isolation and loneliness are not good counselors, except when the goal is to read a good book, practice meditation techniques or take time to reflect on something that concerns us deeply.
Conditions of prolonged isolation compromise the balance of emotions and also physical health, unless you are a master of meditation or there are concrete circumstances that require solitude in order to complete a task. In most cases, there is no reason to prolong loneliness or isolation.
The use of certain substances also deteriorates mental health. You should not abuse drugs, alcohol or smoking. It is best to avoid taking substances that can damage the nervous system or have negative consequences for the brain.
There are also some daily habits that do not help maintain emotional and mental balance. For example, watching too much television out of boredom is a habit that sings instead of entertaining. It gives the illusion of making us communicate with others, but in reality it only accentuates the progressive isolation from the rest of the world.
How to have good mental health
The first thing to do is take care of the body. It is no coincidence that the proverb says “mens sana in corpore sano”, healthy mind in a healthy body. Taking care of your body means sleeping well, eating well and exercising regularly.
In addition to caring for your body, you should also make sure that you cultivate emotional attachments with others. It is important to relate positively to family, friends or co-workers, not just out of habit. Devote time to people who are important to you.
If you live in a state of anxiety or sadness, perhaps you should try some relaxation or meditation techniques. It is not about changing your life to become like the Dalai Lama, but about adopting some physical habits that will be good for your body and mind.
The ideal is to do relaxation exercises that involve the whole body, along with deep and controlled breathing practices. It will help you find a balance and increase your creative capacity.
Reading a good book, writing short essays about everyday life, listening to a good piece of music during a concert, photographing the sunrise or looking at the starry sky through a telescope are all activities that will help you stimulate your emotional intelligence in a meaningful way. Improbing your intelligence is also important. For example, you can use applications for this: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=puzzle.hidden.objects.game
Getting in touch with nature is not only invigorating in terms of well-being, but also generates tranquility and states of contemplation, which are necessary for the health of the spirit.
Having stimulating pastimes increases the joy of life and allows you to get to know and interact with people of different ages and mentalities.
Of course, one of the most important things is contact with yourself. So discover yourself, accept yourself, try to surpass yourself and love yourself for who you are. These are essential tasks that will serve you as support in all your activities and skills.