4 Manageable Changes to Improve Stress & Mental Health

Thank you so much to Ray of Hope Counseling Services for sponsoring today’s post. All thoughts and opinions are genuine and my own.

We all have stress in our lives. It looks different to each person, and we all handle it in completely different ways.

No matter the reason for your stress, it is not healthy to hold it in, ignore it, or let it build up. It can cause a strain on not only your daily life, but your overall mental health. Stress and emotions that build up can cause  physical damage as well. You are one human body and soul. You need to take care of yourself as a whole.

I always compare kept stress and emotions to a hoarders closet. First we start with just a coat closet of stress and emotion, ok that’s manageable and totally normal. But if you let it build up, it slowly can take over the entire house. When that happens you need a lot more support and time to heal the problem at hand. And that feeling alone becomes overwhelming.

I am a huge believer in reducing stress throughout the day and truthfully managing your mental health. I am by no means stress free, but without these daily activities – I’m a spinning top. I believe that tidying up your mental health regularly leads to a happier and healthier life for yourself and for the people around you.

You can not care for others if you are not caring for yourself. I will die on this Oxygen Mask Theory hill. You can not pour from an empty vase. Stop putting ketchup in the gas tank of your car, hoping it’ll run smoothly… it doesn’t work. I will use all the metaphors I can. You do not come last. You can’t.

I’ve always found psychology and therapy intriguing, it was my major in college (fun fact!). Because of this, I wanted to write on the topic and offer four manageable changes you can make in your day to improve your stress and mental health.

It’s a lengthy post, but one I didn’t want to water it down.

It you try them, let me know!

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1.

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Wake Up on the Grateful Side of the Bed

Waking up on the grateful side of the bed is easier said than done, but it is so beneficial to at least try. Psychology Today says, “A recent study by Nancy Rothbard and Steffanie Wilk published in the Academy of Management Journal provides evidence that the way a person feels when they start their work day can have a significant impact on how their day unfolds.

In the study, customer service representatives who started their work day with positive emotions handled calls more quickly and more competently and were less affected by negative customer behavior. CSRs who started the day with negative emotions experienced the opposite effects.

In short: a negative start can make it hard to part the clouds for the rest of the day, making work and healthy interactions more of a challenge. Starting the day on a positive note can lighten up your whole day and help you to perform demonstrably better.”

Sounds nice. How do you do it? A gratefulness journal. Yup. And don’t let anyone fool you into thinking you need to spend $20-30 on a journal with prompts and quotes. You don’t. You can grab a spiral notebook, or a cute $3 journal at Tuesday Morning and get to writing.

Rachel Hollis talks about the 5 Minute Journal. Mel Robbins talks about journaling. The Artist’s Way will talk to you about “Pages”. It all comes down to this – Wake up in the morning and write 10 small things you are grateful for. Keep the notebook by your coffee cup so you don’t forget.

1. 1. Jeff made coffee. I woke up and it was ready.

1. 1. The baby napped today even though she is teething.

1. 1. I ran an idea past my blog friends on a group text and they helps me iron it out.

1. 1. Reegan picked up her toys without me asking 10x.

1. 1. Jennifer checked in on me to see if the storm was bothering us. That was kind.

1. ….

Now write 5-7 intentions. Intentions in this realm are going to be goals you want to achieve. But you are going to write them AS IF THEY’VE ALREADY HAPPENED. This gets the junk in your mind out of the way and puts your brain on autopilot. It deletes doubt.

1. We take yearly family vacations overseas.
2. I’m best friends with Oprah.
3. …

I don’t care what they are, but they have to speak to you. A Christmas list for life. Without Limits.

Do it every day. Write them over and over. And suddenly it’s harder to be mad about the things going wrong, because you are remembering all the things that are great.

This simple switch will help your entire day diffuse easier.

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2.

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Get Jiggy With It

Move your body. Top Knot. Beyonce. GO! Exercise has been known to produce and increase endorphins in the body which relieves stress, improves your mood, and makes you feel better about yourself in general.

Exercise doesn’t have to be Cross Fit or marathon runs.

And it’s not always about losing weight.

When the kids are making me crazy and the gratitude journal didn’t cut it, I know that it’s time to MOVE.
I can’t get to a gym. I don’t have a Peloton bike (maybe that should be on my intensions list.) But it’s fine. If you do not have a gym to go to, stop letting that be an excuse – it’s 2018 – you can do basic workouts from your home, without any equipment. Try squats, lunges, jump roping, twerking, push-ups, sit-ups, put on music and dance… If you can’t make up a routine yourself, YouTube the Tone It Up girls or Megan Roup.

Strengthen your body, in order to strengthen your mind. Sometimes a physical shift is all you need to change your perspective. If you can’t wrap your brain around the emotions running through your body, touch your toes, do a handstand, hang your head off the bed for a second. It works.

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Talk to Someone

I have mentioned Marco Polo and my group chats before. I love them. They keep me afloat daily. But here’s the thing… we are humans. Every time we talk to someone, even our dearest BFF, we will edit ourselves.

I tell everyone I know that I believe in therapy wholeheartedly. For yourself, for couples, for kids. You might not be able to go all the time. It may take a while to find a therapist you click with. You might hate the first 3. Who cares. Find a 4th. An unbiased person will shift your perspective on everything going on in your life. They care for you, but don’t have their cards in the game, so they are honest.

Do not stay with a therapist that just sugar coats every thing to make you the victim. That’s not helping.

Find a place you can sob or laugh or neither. Find a person that will tell it to you straight. It makes a huge difference. Self improvement is the key to life.

If you are in search of professional counseling and therapy services in Georgia, you may want to consider a place such as Ray of Hope Counseling Services. They say, “we help, heal, and strengthen people to overcome life changes and challenges,” and I think that is so important because life changes constantly and it can be hard to figure out how to handle it all. With seven convenient locations in Kennesaw, Alpharetta, Conyers, Athens, Canton, Peachtree City, and Marietta, Ray of Hope Counseling Services offers many different forms of counseling services such as, individual therapy, marriage/couples therapy, family therapy, child/adolescent therapy, online therapy, and even equine therapy.

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Take Time for YOU

At the end of the day, we can try and serve and serve and serve. But once again. If you are empty, it won’t work. If you are feeling like the world is heavy. Take a look at your day and make sure you are taking a minute for you.

I KNOW that it’s impossible. It’s been over a month since I’ve been in the car alone. But carving out 5 minutes here or there. Waking up a few minutes early for silence, or staying up a few minutes later. It makes a difference.

As moms of littles, it’s rare to find a minute where we don’t feel guilty for hiding in the bathroom or where we aren’t listening to a monitor. 5 minutes can make a huge difference. If you can break away a little a week, do it. If you can join a dance class or go to a painting party or go watch a show with a friend – GO!

And when all else fails, and the kids are climbing all over you. Take a drive. They’ll probably fall asleep in the car and you can sit in a parking lot with no one touching you for a half hour and it’s glorious.

Bring your journal.

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I hope a few of these help you throughout your day. And as always, I’d love to hear from you. What changes your mood during the day? How do you cope with the differences of motherhood?

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