By Teresa Carr
Adams County Senior Council
Information from the National Institute of Health – Emotional Wellness Checklist
Emotional wellness is the ability to successfully handle life’s stresses and adapt to change and difficult times. Here are tips for improving your emotional health:
Build Resilience
People who are emotionally well, experts say, have fewer negative emotions and are able to bounce back from difficulties faster. This quality is called resilience. Learning healthy ways to cope and how to draw from resources in your community can help you build resilience.
To Build Redilience:
· Develop healthy physical habits. Healthy eating, physical activity, and regular sleep can improve your physical and mental health.
· Take time for yourself each day. Notice the good moments. Do something you enjoy, like reading or listening to music.
· Look at problems from different angles. Think of challenging situations as growth opportunities. Try to see the positive side of things. Learn from your mistakes.
· Practice gratitude. Take time to be thankful each day.
· Explore your beliefs about the meaning and purpose of life. Guide your life by the principles important to you.
· Tap into social connections and community. Surround yourself with positive, healthy people. Ask for help when you need it.
Reduce Stress
Everyone feels stressed from time to time. Stress can give you a rush of energy when it’s needed most. But if stress lasts a long time—a condition known as chronic stress—those “high alert” changes become harmful rather than helpful. Learning healthy ways to cope with stress can also boost your resilience.
To Help Manage Stress:
· Get enough sleep. Adults need 7 or more hours each night, school-age kids need 9–12, and teens need 8–10.
· Exercise regularly. Just 30 minutes a day of walking can boost mood and reduce stress.
· Build a social support network.
· Set priorities. Decide what must get done and what can wait. Say no to new tasks if they are putting you into overload.
· Show compassion for yourself. Note what you’ve accomplished at the end of the day, not what you didn’t.
· Schedule regular times for a relaxing activity that uses mindfulness/breathing exercises, like yoga or tai chi.
· Seek help. Talk to a mental health professional if you feel unable to cope, have suicidal thoughts, or use drugs or alcohol to cope.
Just A Thought: “Your mental health is everything – prioritize it. Make the time like your life depends on it, because it does.” ~Mel Robbins