October is the tenth month of the year and comes from the word octo, which means eight, since it was originally the eighth month of the year in the ancient Roman calendar. World Mental Health Day takes place this month, and its goal is to promote good mental well-being and highlight important issues that need to be addressed. To back this up, I’ll offer you ideas for keeping your own mental health in check. In Australia Stress Less Day is this month and it offers us all the opportunity to remember the importance of keeping our stress under control. The first of October is the International Day of the Elderly. This is your chance to ensure the happiness and well-being of the elderly.
Tips for good mental health
Take a look at the following ideas to help you boost your own mental health. Do what you can to make sure you are in top condition, and then you will be in a great position to promote mental health to the people you meet.
Become an optimist. Research supports the idea that an optimist will be less likely to suffer from depression, take control of their life and health, and recover sooner. Optimism is about not giving up when the going gets tough. However, when things are going well, being optimistic means that you expect the good things to continue. It’s about having hope and always believing that things will get better. Being optimistic puts you in a good position to deal with situations in your life and to handle life’s difficulties in general.
Life is not always easy and even the happiest person faces challenges. However, it can be made a lot easier with good support around you. Think about the different sources of support in your life and the circumstances in which you would turn to them. Also, think beyond friends and family – professional agencies play a vital role and are designed to do so. Don’t be afraid to use them.
Do something different to break out of whatever routine you find yourself in. What can you do to mix things up at work? How can you vary your day? If you feel like your day has become too routine, it can make life seem boring. Taking a few steps to keep things varied will give you a boost. Try a new recipe, take a different route to work, or turn off the television at night and play with your family. All the simple actions that will hopefully revitalize you.
Take care of your body and you will see good improvements in your mind too. Eat healthy, don’t smoke, and drink alcohol in moderation. Get regular exercise.
Also, take the opportunity to learn about different mental health disorders. Then take what you have learned and pass it on to other people. Spread the facts and kill the fiction.
Stress less
Stress Less Day ties in very well with World Mental Health Day and offers you another opportunity to think about your life and modify it to help prevent stress levels from spiraling out of control. In fact, the tips above have already got you started, so I’ll add a few more here for added motivation.
Know that it is okay to make mistakes and when you do, hold yourself accountable. You will save yourself a lot of hassle by not getting cranky or defensive, and other people will appreciate it. You will also be a good role model.
Know that you cannot control or change other people. That slow driver going well below the speed limit, your partner’s computer game habit, your manager’s outbursts of anger. However, you can change the way you think about them, saving yourself a lot of stress.
Do you feel stress building up? Take a few seconds to breathe deeply. Breathe in slowly through your nose and then exhale through your mouth. Continue until you feel calm.
Finish that task that has been pending for too long. Do it and you can finally forget about it all, putting an end to that haunting worry.
Spend time with your pet. Pets are known to reduce stress, so take some time with yours today.
Respect your elders
Since it’s International Senior Citizen’s Day on the first of this month, I thought it was a good time to suggest that we finally put an end to those ‘sweet old lady stereotypes’. We live in a society in which we seem to patronize the elderly in the same way that we often patronize the young. Older people seem to be put on the junk heap once they retire, or frowned upon if they continue. It is true that some older people need our support, but they are not blank slates. They have a lifetime of experience behind them. How do you know that the sweet old lady sitting on the bus is indeed sweet? In your work life you may have bullied your co-workers. Others do not need our support and are fully capable of making decisions. So don’t make decisions for them.
If we want the world to be a happier place, then try to treat others with respect regardless of their age. You can also perform an act of kindness. So this month, take time to help an older person who can no longer perform certain activities easily. Take this time to listen to their stories and experiences.
In the future, if you find yourself instinctively denying older people, reflect on how you would like to be treated as an important member of society. Go out of your way to treat every older person you meet the same way you hope to be.
Remind
Every month there is a reason to be happy.