Our emotional health is a huge part of our lives and personality. If it is bad or if we are struggling, it can seriously affect the quality of our lives and our personal relationships. In this post, we are going to look at how to improve your emotional health.
Emotional health refers to how an individual emotionally responds to situations that happen to them and around them. It also involves their physical and mental reactions to these emotions. Persons with good emotional health usually have little problems bouncing back from emotional upsets. On the other hand, individuals with poor emotional health may find it very difficult to recover from setbacks.
How to know if someone is struggling with their emotional health
- sudden unexplained self-isolation
- sleep problems
- anxiety
- Sudden or increased substance abuse
- increased interpersonal conflicts
- low energy and a complete loss of interest in anything
See this post for more (How to know if you are struggling with your emotional health)
How To Improve Your Emotional Health
If you or someone you know has been struggling with their emotional health, it is not the end of the end of the world. Here are some very straightforward tips on how to improve your emotional health.
Seek to balance your life
A very common cause of emotional breakdowns is stress and a lack of work-personal life balance. You must make sure that you find a way to balance both so that one does not interfere with the other. You must also learn to set healthy boundaries for yourself. Do not take on more than you can handle from either family and friends or work.
Stay connected to your support system
No man is an island. This old saying holds especially when we are cut off from our support systems. Everyone needs a support system to fall on in hard times. This is because we are social creatures with social needs and times are indeed hard. Regardless of what modern media is trying to feed you with, you need the support of your family and friends.
Introspect, Meditate, and Find Meaning
Take time to think about yourself, your life, and your goals. Whenever you feel overwhelmed, always get off the crazy train to mentally examine yourself, your emotions, and what you are going through. Meditations and breathing exercises also go a long way in helping. Find meaning in your work and your life.
Set realistic goals
Always remember to set realistic goals and celebrate your small wins. It is the small wins that add up to become big ones. Chasing big and unrealistic targets that are somewhat difficult to attain is usually a recipe for disaster.
Think positively and develop a good self-image
When it seems as though things are not going your way, it is easy to sink into despair and put yourself down. However, always know that nothing is permanent, the bad times will surely pass and the sun will shine brightly on you again. Remind yourself constantly that setbacks do not make you a failure, even the best of us face them too.
Take breaks
When you feel overwhelmed, sometimes it is best to stop everything and relax for some time. However, you choose to relax is entirely up to you. When you feel sufficiently relaxed, you can then return to face the task.
Sleep
This might seem pedantic but good sleep is essential to the proper functioning of your brain. If you don’t sleep enough, you will struggle with everything, not just your emotions. Sleep well so that your brain will feel rested to tackle life with you.
Exercise
A healthy body is key to proper brain function. To quote Jim Beglin (a sports commentator), “When the body goes, the mind soon follows”. Don’t let your body go. Take good care of yourself.
Seek help
If you find yourself struggling emotionally, please seek help. This could be from your support system or it could be from a professional source.
Conclusion
Your emotional health is a very important part of your life in general and health in particular. You should guard it jealously as it can seriously impact the quality of your life.
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