Short messages on Mental health, stress and anxiety issues from Respect Yourself, the guidance site for young people to help make good decisions in life.
Keep a gratitude jar. At the end of the day each person writes one thing they’re grateful for on a slip of paper and places it into the jar. At the end of the month/year you can open and read them together or whenever you need to remember the good things.
If you want to experience nature more, you can grow or pick food, bring nature inside, do activities outdoors, help the environment, or connect with animals.
The point of practising gratitude is not to disregard negative emotions. It’s important to allow yourself to feel and experience those as well. Rather, the point is to also recognise the good. Sometimes we can get caught up focusing on what is “wrong” and lose sight of all that is “right.”
Write down everything that is good and positive. Are you thankful for a loving mother? A supportive father? Even something like having a roof over your head counts. Write it all down and reflect upon it. Practising gratitude can give you perspective.
Letting your loved ones in to support you benefits both them and you. Humans are social creatures, and isolating yourself ends up exacerbating your pain. Connection is the antidote.
Does it hurt you to see your loved ones suffering? The same goes for your loved ones when they see you suffering. Don’t lock yourself up in your room and avoid others. Let them in.
Laughing makes it easier for you to remember positive thoughts and positive memories. It also has a relaxing effect, and will help to reduce body tension.
When you’re feeling anxious or down, you tend to have a rather grim face, and your thoughts, which are keyed to your emotions, are similarly grim. If you try laughing off your mood, you engage facial and body muscles associated with positive emotions.
Bottling up such strong negative emotions can only poison your body and mind. If you find it difficult to cry, try watching a movie that has similar themes to the pain you’re in, and cry it out.
Have you been fighting back the tears? Don’t. Let them go. Crying has health benefits such as releasing toxins from your body and relieving stress.