We all have those days when we feel out of place, anxious or just BLA bla. Over the years, I’ve learned to dip into my toolbox to find things that help ease my mind and nerves. Ways to turn around a bad day or get yourself out of a funk are a personal thing, so I was glad to see a Reddit thread where u/_ugly_child_ asked, “What do you do to improve your mental health? The thread has been filled with lots of great answers that I think are important to share. Here are a few.
1.“I try to keep my house relatively tidy. A bad day in a tidy house is much better than a bad day in a mess.”
2.“Go for a walk.”
—u/lirio2u
“People always say ‘walk for mental health’ and at first I didn’t believe them until I did it too. It works if you need peace up there.”
—u/Duelonne
3.“Getting up and starting my day as soon as I wake up instead of lying on my phone.”
—u/puravida4321
4.“I delete all my social networks.”
5.“I started taking vitamin D supplements, and damn it makes all the difference to my mental health.”
—u/InteractionFluid4237
6.“Knowing that it’s okay to leave some people behind.”
—u/NikkiKLéonard
7.“Gardening. It gets me outside a bit, a bit of sunshine, digging and playing in the dirt literally helps me feel grounded, watching new life sprout makes me happy and giddy. Plus there’s food. There’s nothing quite like a super sweet cherry tomato straight from the garden.”
8.“Besides exercising, I meditate every morning. It has helped me a lot to clear my mind.”
—u/night_stat1
9.“If you can save time, I’ve found it’s fine for me to do an insane hobby for 20-30 minutes after I get home from work. Something like cross-stitching or beading You just follow a simple pattern of putting something together that you have something physical to show for it It’s kind of like meditation in a way You don’t think about anything but what what you’re doing at that moment. I’m just following the guiding pattern. It kind of puts a wall for me between thinking “work mode” and “home mode.”
—u/diiejso
ten.“I cut myself off from the world for a day. No news, no leaving the house, just focus on the immediate. Take care of the house and the pets, play with the dog, pet the cats, play a solo game, sing incredibly badly, or cook a complicated dinner.”
—u/Thaser
11.“Writing helps me a lot, whether it’s fiction and I draw on whatever comes into my head or just a journal to get it out of my head and put it on paper. I always I felt like I had lifted a weight off my shoulders when I was done.”
12.“Do kind things, no matter how small, and do them anonymously.”
—u/ComprehensiveEqual20
13.“Whenever I feel anxious, focusing on something beautiful and pleasant helps me a lot. Looking at a candle flame, examining a beautiful crystal in detail, the wind in the trees, a sunset , the music, the heat of the sun on my skin, a taste, a smell – I find it anchored and it calms me.”
—u/BeTheLightUSeek
14.“Maybe it’s fair to musicians, but I drum on my drums for hours on end – not trying to learn or improve – just letting my anger out and having a good time. little at the same time.”
15.“Read before bed. It doesn’t matter if I only manage a chapter or two before going to sleep. It relaxes my mind before bed, so I fall asleep easier.”
16.“I keep a journal most nights, and it helps me clear my brain before I go to sleep. It also helps me deal with some difficult emotions without having to disturb others.”
—u/RavenLoonatic
17.“I usually don’t drink alcohol for a month, mandatory after-hours tech cleaning, and daily 45-minute brisk walks.”
—u/squee_goblin_nabob