Written by: Dr. Erika Montgomery, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Mental Health is at the forefront of human health. Since the pandemic, people have been talking more about their struggles with managing their stress, feeling anxious, low moods, grief, and being uncertain about their future. Every day people are dealing with increased daily demands, financial hardships, and employment changes. People need a healthy outlet to express their thoughts and feelings. During human life changes and balancing mental health people are developing and learning more about emotional support, conflict resolution, and self-improvement.
4 steps to better mental health
If you are beginning your journey for change and self-improvement, here are 4 ways you can begin to improve your mental health today.
1. Become aware of how you tell your story
You are the co-creator of your own story. Humans have a tendency to create beliefs about themselves that are limiting and oftentimes untrue. You assume your past experiences will become your future experiences. In order to have a different or better experience for yourself, become aware of what story you tell yourself. Be mindful about how your story limits what you can become, have, or can experience. Create a new story about yourself that is more aligned with success, abundance, joy, and connection.
2. Become aware of your predominant mood
Neuroscientists have found that strong emotions triggered by stressful events only last 90 seconds long, unless you continue to feed them. Our emotions are prolonged by our habitual thoughts that become our predominant moods. If you want to better manage your emotions, begin the habit of asking yourself why you reacted with intense emotion to a situation or person and what triggered you? Learning to process your emotions is about allowing yourself to feel the emotion, become aware of where the emotion is located in your body, accept the emotion without judging yourself for it, and then releasing it from your body while you exhale. Learn to let go of negative emotions because they don’t serve you in a healthy way.
3. Become aware of your point of attraction
How you feel about something is your point of attraction. You can change how you feel by refocusing your attention on thoughts that feel good and what you believe is true about yourself. When you focus on a thought for 17 seconds, it continues to draw similar thoughts to create momentum, which creates your emotional vibration. You want to be intentional about how you want to feel. By knowing what you don’t want, you can shift towards what you do want. As you focus your attention with intention on positive thoughts that elicit positive emotions, hold them for 17 seconds because this can change your point of attraction to feeling good.
4. Become aware of what you can control
Accept that the only person you can control and change is yourself. You have control of what you believe, what you think, how you feel, how you act, and how you react. Too often people dwell on things that are out of their control which causes them to feel helpless and hopeless. Telling yourself a story that places you in the role of victim is not emotionally healthy because it leaves you feeling powerless. Mastering your mind is about taking back your power to choose. You have free will to choose what you believe, what thoughts you entertain, what emotions you release, what actions you take, and how you respond to situations and people. Choosing healthy and good-feeling thoughts that support your mental health is of the utmost importance.
Conclusion
A healthy mind is within reach. Awareness is the first step to change. With these 4 ways to improve your mental health, you can take back your life and begin the process of healing. If you would like support along your journey of transformation, go here.
Dr. Erika Montgomery, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Dr. Erika Montgomery is a Clinical Psychologist and Life Coach with 25 years of experience providing mental health treatment. Dr. Montgomery owns an online CBD dispensary with Wakanna, a Female Black-Owned CBD Company, and advocates for the daily use of CBD for mental and physical health. Dr. Montgomery is a Mental Health consultant with the Social Security Administration for the past 11 years. Dr. Montgomery hosts a weekly podcast called, "Master Your Mind with Dr. Erika," on the Law of Attraction Radio Network. Dr. Montgomery believes every human is worthy of unconditional love and has the power within to change. My motto: "Mental Health Is Human Health."
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