In the spirit of the season (you know, new year, new goals, temporary motivation that might last 10-20 days), I'd like to ask what all of you are doing or would like to do to improve your mental health. Are there any particular things you've noticed work for you that have made a meaningful difference? Any new ideas that you've read about that you'd like to try?
Personally, I'm experimenting with the idea of automated personal/positive affirmations based on something I read in the book "Indistractable":
> For example, short text messages providing words of encouragement are effective at helping smokers quit. A metastudy of interventions form ten countries found that "the evidence provides unequivocal support for the efficacy of text messaging interventions to reduce smoking behavior.
Second, the surroundings: analyse your immediate surroundings, and what/who is causing stress. Toxic friends, too much alcohol, etc.
Third: find a higher peace-bringing meaning. Wether it is a goal, or friendship/love, or even religion.
Also: work on redundancy of your mental health. Have your 3 pillars of strength in a healthy state: work, belonging (love/friendship), hobby. If 2/3 are good, then you have the strength to work on the third. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. 100% work-driven is not healthy, and actually counter-productive! Eg if works goes bad, then you have a crushing nothing going on for you. Then good luck improving your work situation while feeling crushed. Make your mental health resilient.
I also highly recommend you seek professional helpers: sport coach, psychologist, or just talking it out with friends regularly.
Another great helper is having habits. Take the habit of scheduling a meeting with a friend once a week. Take the habit of running on Sunday evenings. Habits can be the autopilot of your mental health.