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Being a woman in her 30’s, life can take you on roller-coaster ride. From the day to day hustle of work, building your career or business from scratch and trying to keep up with maintaining a social life, all while trying to take time for yourself and get rest, can cause stress and anxiety. What people do not realize is that with all of the work this fast paced city throws at you, you must stop to think about your stress level, mindset, your thoughts, and overall your mental health.
For a woman who has experienced this first hand, stress can have an effect on your mind, your body, sleep and how you respond to the world around you. Stress causes you to lose concentration, and make you think of things that are not necessarily there.
Here are some tips to keep you actively aware of your mental health:
Stop and Think:
I am an over thinker. I over think on everything that I am not sure about. Take time to assess your thoughts and if you’re not sure ask questions to find your answer. Analyze your thoughts when it comes to your job, relationships, yourself and body. If it sounds negative change it to a positive. One of the leading causes to depression is the self- defeating thoughts of self and the world around you.
Breathe:
Sometimes we forget to take a moment to breathe. Stress can lead to developing heart conditions, strokes, high blood pressure and even diabetes. So when your stress level is at high, you begin to feel dizzy or want to cry. Take a moment, step away and count to 10. For myself, I enjoy taking walks during my lunch hour to relax.
Exercise your Mind:
The same way we actively participate in the gym or use trainers, we can exercise training our mind. Actively train your mind to see the good in all circumstances, practice saying positive words to yourself, and actively say positive words to your coworkers, friends/family and even your boss. Be a participant in your mental health; be aware of reasons related to being sad, unhappy, angry, frustrated or irritable. Work towards changing these thoughts and feelings. It won’t happen in a day, just as working out when having a goal to lose weight or tone our bodies won’t. Each morning take time to talk to yourself and proclaim the day ahead.
Freedom in Engagement:
Be free in engaging yourself in getting help. Sometimes we will not be able to do all on our own. Seek help when needed, talk to a trusted friend or family member. Use a journal and write in it every day, read it back and change what you need to. Pray if that is something you’re connected to, take yoga or go to the gym. If you’re not actively in the gym, take a walk or jog.
Rest:
Those who suffer from mental health disorders often do not rest or sleep easily. Take time to relax, take time for rest, set up an appropriate bedtime and keep to the schedule. Play music if that calms you down. A lesson I learned is to not think about anything before you sleep. Put aside thoughts on the things you have to do the next day, the argument you had with your partner, the work load you have left to do. Whatever it is it will be there tomorrow to take care of.
When your mental health is unstable your body and spirit is as well. All three are connected and effect each other. We all go through our days and daily struggles, but taking the time to reconnect with our inner self and learn to care for ourselves is important. We begin to be better version of ourselves. Take in perspective how you are treating your mind. As many has said your mental health is as important as your physical.
Cassandra Seide has been in the social service and mental health field for over eight years. Cassandra has held positions in management, clinical services and teaching. She received her graduate degree, Master of Arts, in Mental Health Counseling and Wellness. Cassandra is working on increasing awareness of mental health through writing and advocacy. She is driven and passionate in changing how people are viewed and served in the human services field and hope to bring change throughout the field.
Email: seidec@yahoo.com
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