We all have those days where we feel out of it, anxious, or just blah. Throughout the years, I've learned how to tap into my toolbox to find things that help ease my mind and nerves. Ways to turn around a bad day or bring yourself out of a funk is a personal thing, so I was excited to see a Reddit thread where u/_ugly_child_ asked, "What’s something you do to improve your mental health?" The thread was filled with a lot of great responses that I think are important to share. Here are some of them.
1. "I try and keep my house relatively tidy. A bad day in a tidy house feels much better than a bad day in a mess."
2. "Go for a walk."
"People always say 'a walk for mental health,' and at first I didn't believe them until I also did it. It works if you need some peace back up there."
3. "Getting up and starting my day as soon as I wake up instead of laying around on my phone."
4. "I delete all my social media."
5. "I’ve started taking vitamin D supplements, and holy crap, it’s making a world of difference for my mental health."
6. "Knowing it's okay to leave some people behind."
7. "Gardening. It gets me outdoors a little, some sunshine, digging, and playing in the dirt literally helps me feel grounded, watching new life sprout makes me happy and giddy. Also, there's the food. There is nothing like a super sweet cherry tomato straight from the garden."
8. "Besides exercising, I meditate every morning. It has helped clear my mind a lot."
9. "If you can spare the time, I've found it's good for me to do a mindless hobby for 20-30 minutes after I get home from work. Something like cross-stitching or making perler beads. You just follow a simple pattern of putting something together that you have something physical to show for it. It's sort of like meditation in a way. You aren't thinking of anything but what you're doing at that moment putting the thing together. It's not stressful itself, you're just following the guide pattern. It kind of puts up a wall for me between 'work mode' and 'home mode' thinking."
10. "I cut myself off from the world for a day. No news, no leaving the house, just focus on the immediate. Take care of the house and the pets, play with the dog, pet the cats, play a single-player game, sing incredibly badly, or cook an involved dinner."
11. "Writing helps a lot, whether it's fiction and I'm drawing on whatever is on my mind or just journaling to kinda get it out of my head and onto paper. I always feel like I've taken a weight off my shoulders when I'm done."
12. "Do kind things, no matter how small, and do it anonymously."
13. "Whenever I feel anxious, focusing on something beautiful and pleasant helps me a lot. Looking at the flame from a candle, examining a pretty crystal in detail, the wind in the trees, a sunset, music, the warmth of the sun on my skin, a taste, a smell — I find it grounding, and it calms me."
14. "Might just be for musicians, but I drum on my drum set for hours at a time — not trying to learn or get better — just letting my anger out and having a little fun at the same time."
15. "Read before bed. Doesn't matter if I only manage a chapter or two before falling asleep. It relaxes my mind before bed, so I fall asleep easier."
