Healthy Lifestyle Skills
The month of May is dedicated towards Mental Health Awareness! According to Oxford Languages, mental health is defined as “a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being” (Oxford Languages). The purpose for Mental Health month is to spread awareness of the importance of mental health and how it impacts everyone. At the Pregnancy Resource Center, we take mental health very seriously! With working with our clients, we understand the pressure one has when experiencing or facing a life changing event such as pregnancy.
I want to provide some healthy lifestyle tips that may help towards mental health and your pregnancy! Please note, these tips are not medically advised by our licensed medical professionals. They are just tips that have helped me in regards to taking care of my own mental health. I hope it can be helpful towards you!
Take it one day at a time
This is the number one advice I can give you. Take it one day at a time. Do not worry about tomorrow, next week, or next year. Sit back and focus on the task at hand. Worrying or fretting about what comes up next will only overwhelm you and cause you to not even focus on what is right in front of you. For me, worrying about tomorrow could also cause anxiety and stress. The steps that you take daily have a monumental impact on your future. So why be fixated and on what is to come. Rather, prepare to be positioned to face what is to come while focusing on the now.
Switch it up, fam!
Sometimes doing the same routine can become redundant. A lot of times, it is so easy to get bogged down by the ways of this world involving our personal life, family, friends, work, etc. SWITCH IT UP FAM! Maybe go out and do something outside of your normal routine. Changing your schedule up every now and then can not only rejuvenate you mentally, but also unlock new things that you may possibly like to do. Do not limit yourself!
Learn to know when to walk away and come back later
This is one of the hardest things I have had to learn as a young adult. There are times when I want to get a certain project or job done immediately, however, that does not always happen. Mentally, you may not have the capacity to finish it on that specific day. Walking away for a while does not mean that you are a failure or you’re giving up. It is making a conscious decision that you have reached your limit and need a mental break. I have noticed when I took a break for a couple of hours or waited until the following day to finish I came back with a refreshed perspective and mindset and came up with ideas that I couldn’t perceive during the state of mind I was in the day prior.
Find your way of an escape
Do something fun and relaxing. Plain and simple. Maybe your outlet is going for a walk, working out at the gym, social time with friends, going to concerts, listening to music, or trying something new. Doing something that is appealing to you helps release endorphins, which allows you to alleviate stress. Find your niche and roll with it!
I hope those tips have had a positive impact on you and I hope it will encourage you :)
References:
https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/
