WHAT a year 2021 has been! Another year living through the pandemic, including disruptions in lifestyle, health concerns, financial issues, and chaotic situations, has caused severe mental health challenges for many, directly or indirectly. With the new year, this week can be an excellent time for a fresh start in many aspects of your life and a chance to begin the year with a healthy mindset. Especially with the continued pandemic, it’s essential to take a compassionate look at our self-development and mental well-being in 2022.

After a busy festive season, you might have already started working on your New Year’s resolutions, such as joining a gym, reading more books, eating healthy foods, changing jobs, or spending more time with your family. With the new year comes the expectation of improving ourselves. There is more temptation to change our old habits such as self-criticism, unrealistic expectations, comparisons, and see the new and improved versions of ourselves. With all these expectations, sometimes we can feel a little overwhelmed and a little disappointed. Here are some tips to help you be a little bit kinder to yourselves and how you can focus on your psychological well-being for long-lasting benefits.

Nourish your body
Our physical health and mental well-being are closely linked and as such, making positive changes in your physical health will result in improved mental health. We can achieve this by regular exercise and healthy eating habits. When we exercise, our brain secretes happy neurochemicals called the endorphins, making us feel happier and emotionally better. And eating a healthy diet with the ideal balance of essential nutrients keeps our body fit, active, and disease-free.

Stress eating or overconsumption of junk foods is a habit to be avoided. It’s also a well-known fact that alcohol can negatively affect your mood, making you feel low and anxious. And other drugs can cause various psychological effects, ranging from depression, anxiety, and long-term psychosis and hallucinations, depending on the drug you misuse. This is why it’s important to stop or cut back on alcohol and completely avoid drug intake.

Quality sleep is essential for every individual to feel physically and mentally fit and positive the next day. An average adult requires around eight hours of sleep a night to be fully rested. Try setting a healthy sleep routine, avoid consuming caffeine and alcohol before bed, and avoid using electronic devices such as mobile phones and computers before sleep.

Be socially active
With all the festive season and the expenses we had in December, January can be miserable for many of us waiting for that next pay slip added on with the dark, gloomy weather. This can make us stay indoors and potentially isolate ourselves, negatively impacting our mental health. Therefore it’s essential to actively look for ways to get yourself out there. Maybe you could join a book club, try new sports or do some volunteering. This will not only help you find friends and improve your confidence, but you might also end up finding a positive hobby for yourself this year.

Practise generosity
When we truly see others as ourselves and ourselves as others, we naturally tend to do everything that we can to make sure others are happy and full of well-being. The spirit of generosity doesn’t have to be present only during the festive season. It can also be an everyday practice. We have plenty of gifts to offer, even if we don’t have a single penny in our pockets. We can offer a smile, loving, compassionate gaze, a calm presence to someone anxious or our time and energy. Though it may seem strange, the more you give, you become richer and richer all the time, richer in terms of happiness and well-being.

Take time for yourself
You could be easily carried away focusing on the needs of other people at the expense of your own, but taking a little time for yourself can immensely benefit your mental well-being. When you start to feel stressed or overwhelmed this year, pause and ask yourself: What’s causing this stress? Is this level of stress a problem for me? What can I do differently to make me feel better?

Develop an understanding of activities, people, and places that brings you happiness and enjoyment. And try to include those activities such as watching movies, listening to music, reading a book, playing your favourite sport, or a spa day. From time to time, remember to be kind to yourself.

Mindful approach
Try to bring intention into your actions by being mindful this year. Mindfulness is a skill that can be learned and helps you to stay grounded in the present moment. Being in the present improves your awareness of thoughts, feelings, and actions. This will help you to manage your emotions more healthily. Mindfulness has been shown to have positive effects on the whole, including the mind, body, brain, behaviour, and relationships with others.

Take a break from social media
Social media such as Facebook and Instagram can increase stress levels and hurt our mental health. Starting this year on a positive note, try logging out of social media accounts and understand the changes it can have on your mood, stress, and overall well-being. You might be surprised to find that you are much happier and you can spend your time more with family or other leisure activities.

Reach out for help
If you are struggling with any psychological or emotional issues, it’s important to recognise them and reach out for professional help and support. If you require any help with mental health issues, kindly call me (Anju Vivekanandaraj, MSc. (Clinical Psychology)) at 613 9255. Kindly send in your feedback, questions or any topic that you would like to address to innerpeacegy@gmail.com

Thank you for reading! Have a happy, healthy, and blessed year!