Mental Health is important. It affects each and every faction of your life. In fact, according to the American College Health Association, 65.6% of students struggle with anxiety, depression, or extreme stress at some point of their college career. With mental health issues on the rise, we want to give you an idea on how small life choices can lead to an overall wellbeing and healthier state of mind. A healthy mental state can lead to increased emotional and physical capabilities, so what can we do to become the happiest, healthiest versions of ourselves?
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1. Eat Right
I’m not saying you have to give up Freebirds. In fact, take it from Tom Haverford and #treatyoself sometimes. Just remember the 80/20 rule. 80% of your plate should essentially be healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, while the other 20% can be foods you’d eat less frequently, like pasta, donuts, or hot Cheetos.
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2. Be Grateful
It could be worse, right? Right. No matter what situation you’re in, things could always be worse. Take a few minutes out of your day to write down all of the things in your life you’re thankful to have, whether that be your family, your car, or your dog. Put your life in perspective and remember all the things you have to be grateful for in life.
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3. Stop and Look Around
This advice is good for two reasons: one, because when you stop and look around, you’ll likely see other stressed out students and suddenly you’ll feel less alone. Secondly, we’ve got the ocean right at our fingertips. Take a couple of deep breaths and head down to the ocean to clear your mind. Nature has a pretty incredible way of taking your troubles away.
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4. Get Help
In the past, mental health has had a poor stigma. However, the National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that 43.8 million American adults will encounter some sort of mental health issue during this year alone. So what can we do? Talk it out. Go to CAPS. They offer free, confidential walk in appointments for students. Sometimes, all you need is someone to talk to and let out whatever is weighing you down.
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Mental health affects every single person. People have individualized ways of coping with different situations, but in order to achieve an overall state of wellbeing, you have to start small. Just remember that in the end, it’s the little changes that can make the biggest difference.