Here are five steps by the NHS you can take to improve your mental health and well-being. Trying these could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.
Connect with other people
Good relationships are important, they can help you to build a sense of belonging and self-worth, provide emotional support and allow you to support others and give you an opportunity to share positive experiences.
Be physically active
Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness, but it can also improve mental well-being by raising your self-esteem, helping you set goals or challenges and achieve them and causing chemical changes in your brain which can help to positively change your mood.
Learn new skills
Research shows that learning new skills can also improve your mental well-being by helping you to build a sense of purpose, building self-esteem and helping to connect with others.
Pay attention to the present moment
Paying more attention to the present moment can improve your mental well-being. This includes your thoughts, feelings, body and the world around you. Some people call this ‘mindfulness’ and it can help you enjoy your life more and understand yourself better.
Give to others
Research suggests that acts of giving and kindness can help improve your mental well-being by giving you a feeling of purpose and self-worth, helping you connect with other people and creating positive feelings and a sense of reward. It can be small acts of kindness towards other people, or larger ones like volunteering in your local community.