Can't afford Therapy? Try These 11 Therapist Approved Practices to Improve Your Mental Health
How to Get Unstuck and Stay on Track with These 11 Practices:
Lower the bar to the floor. You don't need to give 100% every single day. If you are overwhelmed, give 40% (or even 10%) and accept that it is enough for today. Keep it moving, what matters most is what you do next.
Don't let strangers on the internet make you feel better or worse about yourself.
Change your sensory status. If you feel stuck in your head, get into your body. Take a hot shower, put on fresh clothes, or change the lighting in the room. A physical reset often triggers a mental one. Move a muscle, change a thought. Go outside, go into a different room, change the walls.
Said it, now forget it: Write it down to get it out. Your brain is a terrible filing cabinet. Dump every worry, task, or thought onto a piece of paper so you don't have to expend energy trying to "hold" it all in your memory. Then go down the list and cross off anything that isn't directly your responsibility or in your control, anything unchangeable. Look at the list again, pick one thing that is changeable and in your control, and task yourself with one action item to get started. Action relieves anxiety!
Do one thing that has a clear beginning and end. Anxiety loves ambiguity. Do the dishes, make your bed, or water the plants. Completing a small, tangible task proves to your brain that you are still capable of getting things done and helps you get unstuck and out of your head.
Treat yourself like a tired little kiddo. Are you hungry? Thirsty? Do you need a nap? Sometimes the problem isn't spiritual or emotional; it's just that you need a snack and some sleep. Giving yourself a pass on today is often the best move. Trying too hard to make something better can make it worse.
If you can't make something better, focus your energy on just not making it worse.
Getting outside and going for a walk is always a good idea.
Be kind to yourself. When you are having a hard time, try softer, not harder. Being harsh or critical is NOT effective. You can't get better by making yourself feel worse. Take a self-compassion break: (1) "This is hard for me." (2) "I am not alone in struggling. Other people are struggling with this hard thing too." (3) "I am still deserving of kindness when I make mistakes."
Take a break from "meaning-making." What does this mean? Why am I doing this? Who am I? Just rest and let your brain take a vacation.
Disconnect to reconnect! Take a break from social media and your phone. Reach out to someone in your life and ask about them—their life, their problems, their day. Take a break from thinking about yourself or the turmoil you are going through. You will circle back, I promise!