One Goal You Can Make This Month to Benefit Your Mental Health

1. Establish a morning routine. This can mean sitting with your cup of coffee and meditating, reading a devotional, writing in your journal, working out, or all of the above! Morning routines are essential to starting your day off with your head on straight instead of waking up and immediately running around. Wake up a little earlier if you need to, but make sure you’re dedicating the time to YOU and only you.
2. Try to workout at least three times a week. A workout doesn’t have to be intense to count as a good workout. Just get your body moving. Whether it’s taking a long walk, doing twenty minutes of yoga, or running around playing with your kids or your pets, just get active.
3. Write in a journal. You can journal about anything! If you’ve never journaled before, here are some ideas:
   • • There are exercises called “brain dumps” in which you simply “dump” everything going on in your mind onto the paper. Don’t worry about punctuation or your handwriting. So long as it makes sense to  you, just write it all out. It will feel like a weight off your shoulders. You can leave it as is or go back and think of solutions for each issue you’re facing. Write those down, too! The point is to clear your mind.
     • Write about your day. You don’t have to start with “Dear Diary.” LOL. Just write about anything interesting that happened or how your day went.
     • Write things you’re grateful for. This can be in a quick list format or emphasize some details. It will make you happy to go back and read them.
     • If you can’t think of anything to write, look up quotes that you like and write those down for motivation!
4. Try meditating. Start with three minutes if five or ten minutes seems too intimidating and work your way up! Meditating in the mornings is recommended to start your day off calmly and remind you to breathe.
5. Read a self-help book.Reading in general is good for your mental health, especially when winding down at night to get to bed. To get you started, check out You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero. Get ready for all the feel-good feels.
6. Drink more water. Before you go to bed, place a cup or bottle of water on your nightstand so it’s easy to hydrate first thing in the morning. Yes, you’re going to pee a lot when you hydrate more, but that’s good! It means your body is releasing all the toxins.
7. Incorporate “greens” into your meals. I read somewhere that for every meal, you should aim to have four things: greens, protein, fiber, and a healthy fat. Start slow by incorporating some green foods into your day, every day, even if it’s not with every meal. This will benefit your health and you’ll feel good about making even a small difference that’s good for you.
8. Practice affirmations. Write them on sticky notes and tape them all over your room, apartment, house, car, wherever! Say them to yourself over and over.
9. Get more sleep. Sleep is soooo important to feeling your best! If you have trouble getting to sleep at night, get off your phone and stop watching t.v. two hours before you plan to be in bed and start winding down. Take a bath, light some candles or a diffuser with some essential oils, or read to get your brain into rest mode. Chamomile tea is also great for sleeping!
10. Spend time outside. Even if it’s just ten minutes for a short walk or sitting in some sunlight, being outside does the body and the brain good. Don’t get on your phone, either. Just relax a little and enjoy the sunshine.