For starters, I just want to say that there is no shame in getting help. If you feel like things are pretty serious and you don’t know how to change, please go talk to a doctor! That’s why there are therapists, sometimes you need someone from the outside to help you get through what’s going on and there is nothing wrong with going to see a psychiatrist to get on medication either. Medication has helped me.

With that being said there are times where you just need a little boost to get out of a funk. Seasonal Affecting Depression (SAD) is one of those things that you might not need to be on medication for but it still is something that can through you into a rut.

Or if there’s a time of the year that can be difficult to go through you might need a little boost to keep you mentally healthy. Here are ways to give your mental health boost (or at least to feeling more like yourself).

7 ways to give your mental health a boost

7 ways to give your mental health a boost -There are times where you just need a little boost to get out of a funk. Or if there's a time of the year that can be difficult to go through and you might need a little boost to keep you mentally healthy. Here are ways to give your mental health boost (or at least to feeling more like yourself). #mentalhealth #selfcare #feelinglikeyourself

It’s that time of year again where you are ready to make this year your bitch! But don’t you say that every year and how did that work out for you last year? Well, you are in the right place to change all of that!

I am doing a 7 day series to give you the tools to start the year off right and make it your year.

Day 1: Why you shouldn’t have another New Years resolution

Day 2: How a planner will improve your year

Day 3: A procrastinators guide to getting sh*! done

Day 4: 7 ways to give your mental health a boost.

Day 5: The ultimate morning routine to boost your confidence

Day 6: Why your clutter is holding you back

Day 7: 4 ways to achieve financial success this year

So for day 4, we are going to give our mental health a boost.

Get active

I know, I feel ya, I have rolled my eyes too when someone tells me that being healthy means I need to be active. But getting in some physical activity does wonderful things for your body, and for your mental health as well.

Being active doesn’t mean you have to slave away at the gym it can be different for every person. For some people, it’s playing at the park with their kids. And for others, it could mean tending to their garden. You just need to get moving. Because that will release endorphins and we all know what those do.

It’s easy to say that you want to be active but it’s different when you have a storm cloud hanging over you. Trust me I have been there. Everyone telling you that you need to get moving and go outside and you just can’t bring yourself to do. So start little!

Take the dog for a walk, have a dance party in your kitchen, go to lunch with a friend. Even if you don’t feel like it. I know that can sound harsh but sometimes you have to go through the motions to get that storm cloud to move on.

So get moving and get those endorphins flowing.

Give yourself some love

Get into a self-care routine. This will either help you get out a funk or to avoid one. And it doesn’t even have to be a complex thing something as little as taking a bubble bath or painting your nails.

Give yourself some time to take care of yourself, it will make a world of difference.

If you are like me and have so much on your to-do list that taking care of yourself is on the very bottom it can be hard to make it a priority. But sometimes that little moment of doing something for yourself can change everything, not just that moment.

And stop feeling guilty about taking care of yourself! I had to work long and hard on not feeling guilty so if I can do it so can you. Repeat after me, there is no reason to feel guilty.

Like I said before it doesn’t need to be a big lavish thing to make yourself a priority. And afterward, you will find that your mental health will perk back up.

Learn to say no

I am a people-pleaser! I can not stand to have people mad at me, it makes me feel terrible. So I totally understand how hard it can be to set boundaries.

Setting boundaries will actually make you like people more. By saying no, people won’t walk all over you because you won’t give them the chance too. Now you won’t resent them for using you as a doormat and you will enjoy being around them instead of trying to ignore them.

Learning how to set boundaries by saying no (and not feeling guilty about it) will help your mental health because you will not be putting yourself last anymore and letting people walk all over you. It is definitely something I am still working on.

Take a supplement

You need to talk to your doctor before you start on any new supplements.

Sometimes you just need something to help your anxiety or depression for a short time (like when your parents are in town or SAD hits). Here are some supplements that help with depression and anxiety that you can talk to your doctor about and see if they could work for you.

5-htp – this supplement helps with anxiety. It comes from the amino acid tryptophan and increases the synthesis of serotonin in the brain. I take this when I need help turning my brain off before bed.
SAMe – (pronounced “SAMMY”)I have heard good things about this supplement helping with depression. You are supposed to take vitamin B12 and Folate with this supplement.
Vitamin B – you take vitamin B as a mood enhancer. It works with your metabolism to give you more energy.
GABA – helps fight anxiety attacks. It promotes relaxation and reduces nervous tension. It’s naturally occurring in the brain, it’s supposed to be similar to Xanax.

Do a brain dump

This has been a lifesaver when you have so much going on and you start to get panicky again. A brain dump clears your mind so that there isn’t as much noise going on and you can help you refocus.

In a brain dump, you write down everything thought that pops into your head. Don’t worry about spelling or grammar, just get everything out on paper. You don’t have to reread what you wrote. Sometimes when you have so much built up you’ll have resenting feelings to something/someone that are only there in that moment.

Find somewhere quiet and set a timer then write whatever pops into your mind. If you are feeling stuck try some of these prompts:

What would you do if you couldn’t fail?
How is the year going? What would you change?
What do you have a hard time accepting? Why?
5 things you are worried about. Why?
I am grateful for…
Who is someone you look up to?
What is going in my life right now?

If you get stuck pick a new prompt and keep going. Don’t stop until the timer is up. You’ll find when you are finished your mind will be clearer and things won’t feel so overwhelming.

Read the scriptures

This is pretty self-explanatory, if you’re a christian then you know there are a lot of uplifting verses in the scriptures. Reading your scriptures can bring you peace when there is a lot of chaos going on in your life.

I know I feel more at peace and less chaotic when I read my scriptures. The day goes smoother because I have taken the time out of the day to sit down in a quiet place and read. You might even find the thing you need to get through a difficult time.

Be creative

Creating something can have a big impact on how we feel. It’s something that is a change in routine and it gives us a sense of accomplishment. When you finish a project you proud of it and don’t you want to go tell everyone? Or post it on social media? It’s because it makes us feel good about ourselves.

You don’t have to have a huge project to be creative, sometimes all you need is a coloring book. There are those detailed coloring books that are so awesome! It can give you a break from stressing out about what’s going on in your life right now.

And it doesn’t have to be a coloring book either, you can crochet, or go to a paint nite, or make a craft with your kids, heck you can even play Minecraft on creative mode. It doesn’t have to be complicated it just needs to be something you enjoy!

It’s a great tool to help you boost your mental health!

Finally

I hope you learned something on how to help give your mental health a boost when you are feeling in a slump. If you ever feel like you need more then just a boost, you might want to go to a doctor.

Now that’s day 4 of 7 days to your best year yet, you are feeling great and ready to tackle whatever is thrown at you, you probably should know how to have a morning routine to boost your confidence. I guess you’ll just have to stick around ?

There are times where you just need a little boost to get out of a funk. Or if there's a time of the year that can be difficult to go through and you might need a little boost to keep you mentally healthy. Here are ways to give your mental health boost (or at least to feeling more like yourself). #mentalhealth #selfcare #feelinglikeyourself