Ever just feel like you need to do a better job at managing your daily mental health?! 

Here are the 3 practical things I did that DRASTICALLY IMPROVED my daily mental health that will also change your life!

I struggled to maintain a sense of normalcy in my daily mental health for YEARS because I was constantly fighting anxiety and panic, fear, and pressure! When you are always on the defense, it can feel exhausting and overwhelming as you may think you are losing or barely winning.

There was a point in my life where I decided enough was enough, and I would start fighting back. I began to view anxiety and fear as an enemy of peace instead of embracing them as a part of my daily life. If you haven't gotten to that point in your life just yet, don't fret; read on with high hopes that this article will encourage you to action.

You ABSOLUTELY deserve to have peace of mind and joy as you walk through life. Don't tell yourself you don't deserve to have decent daily mental health, don't tell yourself this is just your lot in life, don't believe the lies that fear tries to tell you.

Freedom and peace are gifts from your Creator, if only you will have a relentless pursuit to receive. Anxiety and fear are battles to be fought and not a price to pay! Jesus already paid every price for you (Christian or not); peace is free, but it seems fear isn't going to give up without a fight.

THESE ARE THE 3 LIFE-CHANGING AND Beneficial THINGS I DID TO IMPROVE MY DAILY MENTAL HEALTH! THEY WILL be life-changing for you TOO!

Top Tips for Daily Mental Health Improvement!

I RECOGNIZED THAT I WASN'T ALONE

Anxiety has a way of making you feel ultra-alone, like no one has ever or will ever experience it the way you do. Though very good for bringing awareness to daily mental health issues, social media doesn't do much good in the "feeling alone" department simply because more people appear to be "perfect" than not. However, social media is helpful in recommending books and podcasts, blog posts, and YouTube videos of others' personal experiences with anxiety. The brave souls who dare to share their experiences on a worldwide stage seem to give us all hope that we are, in fact, not alone.

Recognizing that you are not alone is the first step to improving your daily mental health. Suddenly fear cannot send you down into a spiral of depression if you have a team of people around you cheering you on, teaching you how to manage anxiety, and perhaps even there to help lift you in your low moments!

I pray I get to be a part of that team with you, too!

Articles on the Benefits of Community to Your Mental Health:

I MADE SMALL IMPROVEMENTS TO MY DAILY LIFE

This point probably seems vague, but hang with me; there is a lot to unpack here.

Often when we are in the thick of anxiety attacks, panic, or constant daily fear, it can feel like we are just surviving. Prioritizing self-improvement seems unobtainable and such an "out-of-touch-with-reality" goal to set. However, It's probably one of the most impactful for your daily mental health!

Deciding to show up for yourself every day and make minor tiny improvements with consistency or, at the very least, a determination will give you a will to live and not just survive. As you begin to see small improvements in your life, you will inevitably find hope. Hope brings light to the darkness, and anxiety, at its heights, is darkness.

Here are a few of the daily improvements I made that impacted my daily mental health:

• I started reading books about things that stressed me out or made me anxious. Knowledge is power, right? Books about managing money, marriage, relationships with your parents, parenting, decluttering, habits, and so much more! The more I read (or listened, I love Audible), the more hope began to swell. 

• I stopped doing things that made me feel crappy. Eating poorly. Not exercising. Mindlessly scrolling on social media for days on end. Talking to people who didn't treat me well. Talking negatively about myself or complaining about others with no intent on sharing that with them. 

• I started showing up for myself. I refused to let anxiety steal an entire day from me. I refused to let it tell me who I am or who I will be in the future. Then, I started seeing fear as a liar and any thought that pushed me into that place as an enemy. 

• I quit making excuses. Excuses have always been my nemesis, easy but deadly. I decided to tell the truth or say no, whatever was right. How often has anxiety caused us to make excuses, feel wrong about them, and sulk in fear as we wish we didn't make them in the first place? Excuses are the enemy of progress, and being stuck is the perfect breeding ground for fear.

     Minor improvements are better than significant transformations. Consistency is key. Small steps forward will gradually improve your daily mental health!

Books + Resources for Daily Improvements:

• The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage 

• Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

• The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People's Lives Better, Too)

• The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

• The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss

I GOT PROFESSIONAL HELP

The hardest practical thing I did to improve my daily mental health was talking to a counselor.

Finally, after many years of trying to do it independently, I decided that I couldn't anymore. All the practical things I had tried helped me get to a particular road (which was great), but once I got to that place, it seemed like a dead-end, and anxiety was still there waiting for me.

Counseling has drastically improved my daily mental health. I can talk about issues that feel like brick walls when I try to tackle them independently. My counselor has all the tools needed to help me knock that wall down, and she graciously shares them with me. Believe it or not, it feels like freedom to share my struggles with a professional and find out that these are entirely normal battles to have.

I included this vulnerable point because I believe it has been (and still is) a vital one for me. If you find yourself in a place where it feels like you've done everything, do not give up hope. Seek a professional (online or in-person). You are NEVER too anxious, fearful, and depressed for counseling. Some of the healthiest adults you'll ever meet in your life are that way because they received counseling.

HERE ARE SOME GREAT COUNSELING OPTIONS!

TalkSpace

Exert from their website: TalkSpace is an online therapy platform that provides users the confidential support of a licensed therapist through an easy-to-use and HIPAA-compliant app.‍

BetterHelp

Exert from their website: BetterHelp is the world's largest therapy platform. Making professional therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient — so anyone who struggles with life’s challenges can get help, anytime and anywhere.

AMWELL

Exert from their website: Amwell's licensed therapists are on call to provide treatment whenever you need help.

7Cups

Exert from their website: 7 Cups is an on-demand emotional health service and online therapy provider

START IMPROVING YOUR DAILY MENTAL HEALTH BY USING THESE 3 LIFE-CHANGING TIPS!

LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS HOW THESE HELPED YOU!

Saying Goodbye to Anxious,

Kristina G.