7 Days of Prioritizing Mental Health: My Follow-Up Story
As we go through our daily lives, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the world around us. However, in the midst of all the chaos, we often forget to prioritize our mental health. In fact, with the current COVID-19 pandemic, people are experiencing more stress, anxiety, and depression than ever before.
As someone who has struggled with mental health issues over the years, I can attest to the fact that taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body. As a result, I decided to take seven consecutive days to focus solely on improving my mental health. In this blog article, I’m going to share my experience, knowledge, and insight on how anyone can prioritize their mental health in just seven days!
Day 1: Start a Gratitude Journal
Studies have shown that being grateful can have a positive impact on mental health. Therefore, I started the week by starting a gratitude journal. Each day, I wrote down three things I was grateful for. This helped me start the day on a positive note and appreciate the small things in life.
Day 2: Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the act of being present and aware of your thoughts and surroundings. To practice mindfulness, I started with a simple breathing exercise. I took a few deep breaths, closed my eyes, and focused on the sensation of each breath going in and out of my body. This helped me clear my mind and stay present in the moment.
Day 3: Connect with a Friend or Family Member
Connecting with loved ones is a great way to boost mental health. On this day, I reached out to a friend I hadn’t spoken to in a while and caught up on our lives. It felt good to connect and share our experiences, and it reminded me of the value of social support and human connection.
Day 4: Get Moving
Physical exercise has been shown to have a positive impact on mental health by reducing stress and anxiety. Therefore, I dedicated this day to getting moving. This could be anything from taking a walk to doing a yoga session. I chose to go for a run and felt an immediate boost of endorphins and positivity.
Day 5: Unplug from Technology
In today’s modern world, we’re constantly connected to technology. However, spending too much time in front of screens can be detrimental to our mental health. On this day, I challenged myself to unplug from technology for a few hours. Instead, I read a book, went for a walk, and reconnected with my surroundings.
Day 6: Practice Self-Care
Self-care is any activity that we do intentionally to take care of our physical, emotional, and mental health. There are many ways to practice self-care, but on this day, I chose to take a relaxing bath, light some candles, and meditate. It felt amazing to prioritize my own well-being and take some time for myself.
Day 7: Create a Self-Care Plan for the Future
Finally, I wrapped up the week by creating a self-care plan for the future. This included identifying activities that made me feel good, setting aside time each week to prioritize my mental health, and committing to practicing self-care regularly.
In conclusion, prioritizing mental health is crucial for overall well-being. By taking just seven days to focus solely on improving my mental health, I was able to learn valuable lessons and insights that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I encourage everyone to take the time to prioritize their mental health, whether it’s through journaling, mindfulness, connecting with loved ones, physical exercise, unplugging from technology, practicing self-care, or creating a self-care plan for the future. Remember, mental health matters!
