May is Mental Health Month and the MHA is promoting a campaign called: "Life Your Life Well". They have some wonderful online resources available for relieving stress and promoting mental health and wellness at: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/may
Here are some quick, simple and easy tips on how to improve your mood, feelings, mental and emotional health, and . . . your life!:
- Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night.
- Get 20 - 30 minutes of light to moderate exercise daily.
- Set some new goals, ie. to have, be and do.
- Develop a "Personal Philosophy" or "Mission Statement".
- Laugh as much as you can! (Joke books, movies, emails . . . & share the laughter with others.)
- Love, give it . . . and receive it. (Sometimes a real challenge!)
- Get a pet. (Proven to reduce stress and increase joy, within reason.)
- Take a day off every week and just REST.
- Visit a new part of town, or get away for the weekend.
- Do what you love to do the most at least a couple of times a week.
- Count your blessings! Giving thanks audibly and writing down a list of everything you can be thankful for, then looking at it and thinking about it frequently can transform your life!
- Find the good in everything, even if it's something very small.
- Take a fun class or start a positive book.
- Spend time with loved ones, friends or family.
- Eat some chocolate! (One of my personal favorites.)
- Smile as much as you can, even if you don't feel like it! (It releases "feel good" hormones in your brain!)
- Speak Words of Encouragement, Praise, and Thanksgiving to as many people as you can, especially friends and family members, as often as you can!
These are just a few simple suggestions that can make life more enjoyable, letting a little more sunshine in to brighten your day. . . . and in the process, improve your health . . . and possibly even save your life!
If you're in need of help, seek the advice of your medical health professional, and do it sooner rather than later.
Yours in good health . . . and happiness!
Dr. Bruce Bell, American Academy of Spine Physicians, Clinic Director of the South Coast Spine Center
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