Important Phone Numbers:
National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline 1-800-950-6264
Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800.273.TALK
Veterans’ Crisis Line 800.273.8255 press 1
Pastoral Care—Pastor Jim Alexander 623.792.5295
With each new year comes the opportunity to do things differently. I am not talking about making resolutions that we all know will go by the wayside by January 31! I am talking about doing things that will help you remain calm, focused, and set for 2021.
Besides the Tools2Thrive page, the Daily Devotionals, our Bridges to Learning classes, and our weekly Online Worship services, here are several tips for Mental Wellness I highly encourage you to incorporate into your life. You may be thinking, “I have seen all this before.” While that may be true, have you been able to make any of these tips habits within your daily activities? You may find that just one or two might make all the difference in your outlook and mental wellness. Happy New Year!
- I will commit myself to being physically active each day. Studies have shown there is a link between mental and physical health.
- I will resolve to be mentally healthy in the upcoming year. Seeking the aid of one of the agencies listed above, you may be able to sort through the mental or emotional concerns you might be having. This is one of the healthiest things we can do.
- Relax! Commit yourself to carving out some time each day to “shutting down” and doing something for yourself that helps you rest and recharge your mental and emotional batteries.
- Diligently speak nicely about yourself and treat yourself with respect. All good things begin from within, and a positive outlook on ourselves is a key to attracting more positivity into our lives.
- Don’t be too hard on yourself. Remind yourself daily that as a human, you will make mistakes or miss goals, and that is okay. What is important is going forward in these situations in a positive manner.
- Stay mindful and in the moment. Don’t dwell too much on the past or spend too much time fixating on the future. Remember to live in the here and now and enjoy all that life has to offer.
- Act instead of reacting. Rather than allowing yourself to get caught up in reacting to the actions of others that push your buttons, be prepared with a mental list of disarming statements to counteract the negative statements of others.
- Do not allow yourself to be defined by a label. Instead of thinking and speaking of yourself as being overweight, anxious, depressed, etc. … say instead “I have depression and today I will exercise to help manage that.”
- I will strive to become the person I want to be. View life as a journey full of adventures rather than a series of obstacles you have to overcome. Enjoy the ride that life is, rather than focusing on the bumps in the road.