BUILD LIFE HABITS

Ways to improve or maintain good emotional health.

• Be aware of your emotions and reactions. Notice what in your life makes you sad, frustrated, or angry. Try to address or change those things.

• Learning how to see barriers or issues in a realistic, more approachable way.

• Learning how to give yourself control of YOU, not placing that in someone else's hands.

• Express your feelings in appropriate ways. Let people close to you know when something is bothering you. Keeping feelings of sadness or anger inside adds to stress. It can cause problems in your relationships and at work or school.

• Think before you act. Emotions can be powerful. Give yourself time to think, and be calm before you say or do something you might regret.

• Manage stress. Try to change situations causing you stress. Learn relaxation methods to cope with stress. These could include deep breathing, meditation, and exercise.

• Strive for balance. Find a healthy balance between work and play and between activity and rest. Make time for things you enjoy. Focus on positive things in your life.

• Take care of your physical health. Your physical health can affect your emotional health. Exercise regularly, eat healthy meals, and get enough sleep. Don’t abuse drugs or alcohol.

• Connect with others. We are social creatures. We need positive connections with other people. Make a lunch date, join a group, and say hi to strangers.

• Find purpose and meaning. Figure out what it is important to you in life, and focus on that. This could be your work, your family, volunteering, care-giving, or something else. Prioritize time to learn what's important to you, and spend your time doing what feels meaningful to you.
   

Things to consider - disclaimer

People who have good emotional health can still have emotional problems or mental illness. Mental illness often has a physical cause. This could be a chemical imbalance in the brain. Stress and problems with family, work, or school can trigger mental illness or make it worse.

Counseling, support groups, and medicines can help people who have emotional problems or mental illness. If you have an ongoing emotional problem, talk to your primary care physician. He or she can help you find the right type of treatment.