6 tips to boost your mental wellbeing

Lisa Drake, from Rapid Change Hypnotherapy & Coaching Practice in Rochdale, shares six tips to boost your mental wellbeing (because let's face it, we're all a little stressed out)...

As we’re getting further and further along in this global pandemic, it’s more important than ever to look after your mental wellbeing. As always, I’m here to give you some top tips for keeping yourself in a good place mentally.

I know you’re probably in a place now where you’re simply fed up of it, dragging on and on with no end in sight – I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard people say that exact sentence to me lately. But please remember, although we can’t control what’s happening, we absolutely can control how we respond to it. Here are just a few ideas...

1. Practice gratitude

I say this in every edition, because I can’t even begin to tell you how much it helps to keep you grounded. Every morning, when you wake up, before you even get out of bed – practice just telling yourself three things that you’re grateful for right now in your life; maybe that you have a roof over your head, your family are safe, you have food to eat and running water, you have transport etc. Whatever it is, no matter how small, there is always something to be grateful for. Then, at the end of your day, when you get into bed, tell yourself something that happened that day that you’re grateful for. Getting into this habit really does help to bring things into perspective, in times of uncertainty.

2. Create a playlist of your favourite music.

Think of all the tunes that make you feel uplifted and get them all in one place. It’s easier than ever now with Alexa and Spotify etc. Dancing around the house is a great stress reliever!

3. Stop overthinking everything and get busy instead.

Clear that cupboard out (you know, the one full of all sorts that you always say you’ll get round to one day!), read that book you bought that’s now gathering dust, clean the house or the car, sort out your wardrobe, do a wordsearch – anything that disrupts your thinking patterns, even just for a few hours will help. Colouring is great for stress relief - why not try the one below? You could even cut it out and stick it on a mirror or on your desk, as a daily reminder to stay calm and focus on your breath.

4. Everything in moderation...

And that's definitely the case for social media. Mindless scrolling can really take its toll on your mental health, especially when there's so much bad news out there. If you’re going to sit and stare at a screen, why not use that time for something more beneficial, like a short meditation - there’s loads on YouTube and fantastic apps such as Calm. If social media is taking up too much of your time try turning off notifications, deleting apps or leaving your phone in a different room. Don't sleep next to your phone - instead, put it away for an hour or two before bedtime and dig into a good book (or magazine!) which will also help to improve the quality of your sleep.

5. Be kind to others and connect in any way you can.

Send a quick message to someone you love and let them know you’re thinking about them. Ask a neighbour if they need anything whenever you go out. If you go to the tip (with all the things you cleared out of that cupboard!), ask a neighbour if they have anything they want taking at the same time. Send a handwritten letter or small gift in the post. Personally, I had a little keepsake made for my brother, to let him know I’m thinking about him, as he’s in a care home and not allowed visitors due to the pandemic. When it arrived, he was over the moon and said it really brightened his day up. Have a Zoom meet up with family and friends. It’s the next best thing to being in the same room as each other and really helps you to feel connected. My friends and I did this during lockdown and it was such a good laugh, to simply feel like we’re in the same room and feel that we’re still there for each other, no matter what.

6. Stretch your legs

Going for a walk each day, even in the pouring rain, can go a long way to relieve stress. Aside from helping to produce the 'happy' hormone serotonin, exercise also uses up excess levels of stress hormones.

These are just a few tried and tested tips from me and you’ll notice that most of them are completely free! Remember to stay in the moment; this pandemic will pass in time, even if it feels like it’s taking forever.

Let’s do everything we can to get through it together and to come out the other side with our mental wellbeing intact.

Lisa Drake

Call: 07738 431 604 / www.rapid-change.co.uk