Well-being is not the mere absence of disease or illness. It is a complex combination of an individual’s physical, mental, emotional and relationship health. Our happiness and life satisfaction are directly linked with it. In short, wellbeing could be described as how you feel about yourself and your life therefore it is the need of the hour to start taking steps to positive wellbeing.
In the current situation, our working pattern makes us always on and always available. We’re involved in lots of different things at once so we can find ourselves tired and drained. Perhaps, it could also happen that we may be looking for quick fixes and solutions to try and ease the pressure. Yet, we all have limited time and resources and hence, it is important to start looking after ourselves.
By taking the following initiatives, we can take the first steps towards achieving positive wellbeing:
Being kinder to yourself
Our lifestyle and the experiences we lead make us who we are. We all go through bad days, however, just being kind to yourself in those moments, encouraging the efforts, rather than criticizing yourself can bring a big change in our mood and emotions. Start treating yourself the way you would treat a friend in the same situation.
Take time out to exercise regularly
Being active has multiple benefits for your health. It not only lifts our mood but it also been proven to reduce stress and anxiety, help improve physical health, and give us more energy. So, whatever your every day, spare some time out for a workout regime, may it be any physical activity, yoga or meditation. Give your body a pleasant gift. Look for an activity that you enjoy the most, and just do it.
Learn a replacement skill or take up a hobby
Invest some time of your day finding your expertise and start building upon it, start working upon learning a skill that you always wanted to acquire or take a hobby that excites you most.
Unleash your creativity
There's always some positive stride to being creative. Creativity increases your confidence and helps you feel better. So, by all means, enjoy yourself! Explore your creativity and imagination.
Help around
Charity can instil a sense of gratitude and help you feel better. One of the simplest ways to do so is by beginning to help around the house, assist your family. This will not only make you feel good but also will make your relationship grow more. You can also get involved with a community project, charity work, or simply help out someone you know. As well as benefiting others, you’ll be doing something worthwhile which can assist you to feel better about yourself.
Make time for self-care and your wellbeing
No matter how hectic your life is, allow yourself to chill out and relax. Find something that suits you – different things work for different people, do some Relaxation and stress-relieving therapies or Just Breathe… (imagine a balloon in your belly, inflating and deflating as you inhale and out.)
Eat healthy
Skipping meals or late meals is not only going to affect your body but will also make you lazy and lethargic. Eat breakfast, eat fruit and vegetables, eat healthily, drink water and eat regularly Having a good appetite is always healthy.
Prioritize sleep
Follow a healthy sleep routine i.e., going to bed and getting up at the same time each day. Stop or limit binge-watching start giving yourself a 10-second warning to wake up, as a human being, we have a tendency to work upon our own core beliefs so let’s make it stronger by being realistic.
Connect with others
Start working upon your relationship life by staying in touch with family and friends - make regular and frequent contact with them. Always make an attempt in a day to justify your relationship life.
Focus on seeing the bigger picture
We all give our own meanings to situations and see things from our point of view. We need to widen out the perspective and start looking at the bigger picture (‘the Bird’s view’) which means instead of getting trapped in the situation try to look at it from the above, what meaning am I giving to this? Is this fact or opinion? How would others see it? Is there a way of differently seeing this? How significant is it, or will it be in the future? What am I able to do immediately which will help most? How can I prioritize things now? This insight was given to me when I was stuck and it really helped and still helping.
Accepting: ‘It is as it is’
We tend to fight against stressful thoughts and feelings, however, there are some situations we just can’t change but we can learn to just notice them and give up that struggle. We can let those waves pass rather than trying to stop them.
The article has been authored by Mansi Sharma, Senior Psychologist, Rehabilitation Psychologist & Psychotherapist.
