Constructive methods to help your mental health
People who are resilient have the ability to face trauma by looking at how the problem can be resolved instead of giving up. Resilience is doing your best to make the most of your situation, and having the strength to ask for help when needed. Dr Yanek conducted a study of wellness and prevention on "The power of positive thinking" where he positive thinking helps your overall health and well-being, decreasing the chances of depression, anxiety and may even expand your life expectancy. (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-power-of-positive-thinking)
Our emotions motivate us to respond to our circumstances and impact the decisions we make. For example, there may be situations you find yourself in that are out of your control, but you do have the power over how you react to them. Positive thinking gives you the self confidence to solve problems and get out of challenging situations.
Living with chronic illness can be challenging. You have to understand that it might not be possible to live the life you used to, but with adaptations, you can still enjoy some of the same things. Fatigue and pain can impact your night life. For example, adjusting from going out every night to one night with close friends and making the most of it.
True friends will stick with you through the changes living with chronic illness can bring. Surround yourself with good, positive people, who support and love you for you. Ditch all the negative people in your life, as those that want to put you down and spread negative vibes are not worth your time.
If you have ongoing negative thoughts such as “I feel like a failure. I feel useless. I feel like a burden to my network of people.” you will begin to believe this and not live out the life you truly want (living with chronic illness, p. 15). When you are experiencing positive emotions like joy, contentment, and love, you will see more possibilities in your life. Positive emotions broaden your sense of possibility and open your mind up to more experiences. This in turn helps to build new skills and resources that can provide value in other areas of your life.
Here are 6 ways of thinking positively
1. Take time out daily to do something that you love and makes you feel alive:
Be kind to yourself and find ways to build happiness and positive emotions into your life. This can be through meditation, writing, or playing a game, getting into your hobby, catching up with friends over a meal, a drink or anything else. These activities can help decrease stress and show a few smiles, by giving you something positive to think of. When people are happy they develop new skills, those skills lead to a new success, which results in more happiness, and the process repeats itself.
2. Set achievable goals:
Setting goals is also helpful, but make sure the goals that you want to achieve are reasonable. Think of reachable goals such as reading an article or doing a crossword puzzle.
3. Change your focus:
Direct your attention somewhere else, that's a positive! How about challenging your thinking and focussing on the good stuff in the past or present. Are you wanting to become a better person? Focus on the positives like past successes and how you can be the best person you can possibly be.
3. Practice gratitude:
Try and focus on something you are thankful for. I know it's hard to think of one when you are facing many challenges. Have you got a good support system around you? Are you thankful there is treatment to manage your illness? Try and find a place you can self reflect. There is no limit to how many things you can be grateful for, small and large.
4. Find an open door:
The saying goes ‘when one door closes, another door opens.’ The life you once had needs to be adjusted. Try and find a new perspective on being diagnosed with chronic illness such as using your experience to inspire others. Having a chronic illness is like having a job, because you will need to take days off, which I call rest days.
5. Surround yourself with good people:
People who will give you grace for mistakes and hard times. They are the ones who will love you unconditionally and tell you how awesome and inspiring you are.
“Seek joy, play often, and pursue adventure. Your brain will do the rest.”