What Is Mental Health?

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, mental health can be defined as "our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act, and helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices."

Just like physical health, you have to take care of and be mindful of your mental health. This means doing your best to keep yourself away from stressful situations and triggers and putting yourself in environments full of positivity and support.

How can You Take Care of Yourself?

Life can get stressful. Here are some tips from Mayo Clinic on stress management.

Get active! Exercise can help you channel your energy and calm your nerves.
Meditate! Taking the time to focus and quiet your thoughts can help relieve anxiety.
Connect with others. While your first instinct in a stressful situation might be to isolte yourself, coming together with people you care about can offer distraction, provide support, and help you manage the ups and downs of life.

What are ways to Channel your Emotions?

Outside of physical or social activities, here are some ideas to work on your mental health on your own.

Journaling: You can choose whether or not you use prompts, but either way, journaling can be a great outlet for your emotions.
- What is your favorite form of self-care? Why?
- What can you do today to take better care of yourself?
- What's something that makes you feel safe?
- How would you describe your prefect day?
- How would you desrcibe yourself in ten words?
- How do you help yourself when things get hard?
- Who do you want to be in a year?
- Who is one person you know you can always count on?
- Who's someone you admire? What do you admire about them?
Affirmations: Affirmations are words/phrases/sentences that promote positive thinking and self empowerment.
- I am proud of myself.
- I am getting better and better every day.
- I am confident.
- I am in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing.
- I am happy.
- I am resilient.
Boost your mood:
- Rearrange your bedroom.
- Read a book.
- Watch one of your favorite movies.
- Go for a walk.
- Watch a funny video.
- Draw or pint something.