January 15, 2021

As a new year emerges, we’ve already experienced events that are shaping our mental health. As the pandemic drags on longer than most anticipated, and political unrest agitates our emotions and our relationships, we’re sharing tips on how to remain resilient as uncertainty continues.

1. Set a direction, not goals

When you set a goal (swim 2 miles every week), the moment you fall short, it feels like a failure. Instead, set a direction. Swimming is part of my life now.  

“I’m swimming more now, last week I went a couple of times, I’ll get down there this week too.”

2. Daily practices

Resilient people have daily practices that they lean on for mental strength. The most obvious are exercise plans, but they can be others, like 5-minute resets, a walk, or time with the dog. Write down three and stick to them every single day. Would you skip a day of brushing your teeth?  

“I’m gonna do my gratitude journal now, it keeps me focused on the positive.”

3. Mental health is health

Remove the distinction between physical health and mental health, and replace it with just “health.” When doing things for your mental wellbeing, tell people it’s for your mental health and don’t apologize for it. This reduces the stigma and allows for better conversations.  

“I’m going for a bike ride to clear my head.” 

For the rest of our tips, read the full article on our website.

4. Limit TV time

Schedule 30 minutes a day to catch up on the news and what is happening locally with Covid-19 and similar, then turn it off and focus on your work, recreation, family, friends and whatever else you’re doing. Don’t leave the TV on all day, it will make you anxious.  

“I’m all caught up on what’s going on, I’m going to focus on my work now.”

5. Stay connected

Reach out and talk to someone if you’re struggling. Although there is a lot of Zoom fatigue, remember that seeing and hearing people as you talk is way better than just texting or emailing. Hearing a friend’s voice raises levels of oxytocin in your bloodstream, reading their texts does not. 

6. Stop doing what doesn’t work

Evaluate your routine. Be open to making changes that are negatively impacting your life. People often don’t like change, so they prefer to stay with habits that aren’t serving them. 

“This going to bed super late simply doesn’t work, I’ll stop doing that.”