To stay positive and healthy, mentally and physically, it’s important to focus on yourself. A lot of people are consumed with their lives, their busy schedules and day-to-day lists, that they ignore taking care of themselves. In order to thrive, you need to pay attention to yourself mentally and physically.

To take care of yourself mentally, you need to take a second and slow down. Pause, relax, and think about the things in your life that make you happy, and the things that bring you down. Oftentimes we get hurt by little annoyances in our life or even habits that we form over time. If you take a second to observe these things, you realize how minuscule these problems are in comparison to the bigger picture. Especially if you’re going through a tough time in your life, focus on your mental health will make a huge positive impact on your life as a whole in the new year.

Every day, try to write in a journal or talk to a close person in your life about what’s going on. It can be anything; good things, bad things, small things, big news. Talking lets out feelings that we didn’t know we had, and it’s usually a huge relief to talk about it and let out your emotions. People underestimate the importance of doing this. However, dwelling on emotions too much and letting them take over can make you feel depressed and anxious. Find a healthy balance that is right for you. Practicing mindfulness is another quick and easy way to feel much better. Breathing exercises may calm you down; especially if you are in an anxious or wound-up state, mindfulness and breathing exercises can be a great way to improve your mental state.

Physical health is important as well. Not only does it make you feel better, but it also improves your mental health as well. Eating healthy, drinking water, exercising and getting enough sleep are all key components of taking care of yourself both mentally and physically.  You need to eat a proper amount of food each day, otherwise, you can become even more unhealthy than before. The idea is to eat healthier food, but the same amount of food to satisfy your hunger. Drinking water has multiple effects including clearing your skin of acne, boosts your health and levels out blood pressure. Exercising healthily can improve your physical and mental health as well. There are countless positive effects on exercising including decreasing anxiety, depression and other mental health disorders, builds muscle, improves your heart and lung health, and much more. Exercise 3-5 times a week, but be careful not to over exercise as that can make your health worse as well. Simple exercises such as walking and yoga are an easy way to keep this in your busy schedules. Keeping a healthy balance is most important. Lastly, get enough sleep. Due to everyone’s busy lives, they forget how important getting enough sleep is. It improves all of 2 your ability to function, work efficiently and quickly, lets you focus easier, and decreases mental health disorders such as anxiety as well

By forming these habits in the new year, you are bound to be happier and healthier, overall. Always keep in mind that the most important thing is to take care of yourself and to keep a healthy balance of these positive habits. Physical health goes hand in hand with your mental health; by helping one, you are improving the other. This year, try to focus on yourself and your health. Even though it’s easier, don’t allow yourself to get caught up in the business of your life.

Referances:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/290814.php#benefits

https://interestingengineering.com/15-mental-health-habits-to-try-this-world-health-day