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Hey guys! Since it’s Mental Health Awareness week, I want to talk about ways to get started with emotional health.

Ways to Get Started with Emotional Health

Back when I was 19, I was in a dark depression. My dad had just gotten back from prison, someone I loved died unexpectedly and I was feeling incredibly hopeless.

Honestly, the darkness was overwhelming. I felt like I was swimming in a cloud and couldn’t see my way through it.

Also, at that point in my life I didn’t have the tools I needed to process all my emotions.

Now, it’s been a decade of trying (almost!) everything to start feeling good. So, I want to share with you the things that have worked well to help me improve my emotional health.

Make It A Priority

Taking care of your emotions and mental state is so important. We can’t have the life we want in the outer world if our inner life isn’t in order.

So, the very first thing is to actually prioritize it.

While this might sound obvious, very few people actually prioritize their emotional health. However, what’s great about our generation (millennials) is that we’re finding that emotional health is non-negotiable.

If you’re looking for ways to get started with emotional health, the first way is to actually prioritize it.

Talk About That Sh*t

If you’ve ever been depressed, then you’ve probably had the experience of just feeling SO alone.

But guess what? You’re not!

Most people have experienced one degree or another of feeling horrible. So, don’t think for one second that you’re alone in whatever you’re feeling.

Don’t be afraid to talk to your friends or family about what you’re feeling. If they love you, they’ll be there for you. They might not be able to fix your situation, but at least you won’t be so alone.

Beyond your loved ones, that’s what the internet is for. The web is FULL of people who are just waiting to support you. If you look at Reddit feeds for mental health, people spill their guts out. And other strangers respond with love and support.

So, don’t be afraid of telling someone, ANYONE how you feel. You deserve support, ok?

Journaling

Next up, writing in a journal is a consistently powerful mental tool. It’s a great way to get to know yourself and reflect.

Personally, journaling helps me get clear about my feelings. Also, it allows me to clean out any excess thoughts so I can be clear with myself.

Honestly, I’m not formal at all in my journal. Usually, I just write whatever comes to mind. And I allow myself to jump from thought to thought without caring if it’s organized or not.

Additionally, I like to write as if myself or another person will never see what I write again. That way, I feel free to be truthful. I really see my journal as an emotional tool, not as a historical diary to look back at.

Traditional Therapy

Another tool I’ve found useful is therapy. It can be really transformative to speak to a professional about what you’re going through. Sometimes just having someone to talk to is what you need to get through a hard time.

Also, a therapist can help give you coping tools that you didn’t have before.

However, I didn’t start going to therapy until recently. As you probably know, it can be pretty expensive, and most insurances don’t cover it in the US. But now that I’m in Canada, a portion of it is thankfully covered for me.

Truthfully, the right therapist makes all the difference. I’ve tried out four in the last two years before I found the one I’m currently with.

And if you’re comfortable with your therapist, you’ll most likely have better results. So, make sure you love the therapist you talk to!

Another thing to consider is the type of therapy. Do you want advice? Or someone who just listens? There are a lot of different kinds, so do a little research before your first session.  

Meditation

If I were to credit my emotional stability to anything, it would have to be meditation.

First of all, it’s a great way to get in touch with your own emotions. For me, it’s like the calm in the storm. I love going within and seeing what’s happening on the inside of me.

But also, it’s scientifically proven to improve quite a bit. Including:

• Decreasing stress
• Reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, pain and insomnia
• Enhanced ability to pay attention
• Increased quality of life

Yowza! That’s science, people!

If meditation intimidates you or turns you off, check out my blog post. You’ll learn how to meditate without going crazy.

Alternative Energy Healing

Finally, alternative energy healing is a great way to take care of your emotional health. And to be honest, it’s actually my favorite!

There are countless tools you can explore in this domain. For example, reiki, brain integration and theta healing.

Currently, I’m doing emotional processing. This is like a guided meditation where you work to release old, stuck emotions. I’ve been doing this for about three years, and really enjoy it.

Also, the person I work with is a close friend, so it’s someone I know has my back.

Alternative healing definitely isn’t for everyone. But if it’s something that interests you, it’s worth trying. Also, I find it a great way to supplement for therapy because it’s about half the cost most of the time.

Conclusion

To sum up, there are a lot of ways to take care of our emotional and mental state. But it’s not going to take care of itself. So, make sure you prioritize taking care of how you feel so we can all enjoy the beautiful person that you are.

Have you ever tried any of these things? Tell me your experience in the comments.

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