Enjoy
hobbies
Taking up a hobby brings balance to your life by allowing you to do something you enjoy because you want to do it, free of the pressure of everyday tasks. It also keeps your brain active.
Mental Health weekMay 7-13, 2012
Canadian Mental Health Association – Mental Health Week
Stay informed
Please donate
- Français
- Home
- Locate my CMHA
- Contact us
- Follow us Share on Facebook +
Keep your
balance.
Find out how you can exerciseyour mental health
Back home
Learn ways to cope
Do one thing
Do new things/
Share
Talk regularly
Set
Treat
"Collect" positive
Ask
Keep your balance.
Maintaining your mental health means striking a balance in all aspects of your life: social, physical, spiritual, economic and mental. Reaching a balance is a learning process. At times, you may tip the scales too much in one direction and have to find your footing again. Your personal balance will be unique, and your own individual challenge will be to stay mentally healthy by keeping that balance. Here are some simple ways to practice mental fitness:
Download full fact sheet in PDFEnjoy
Exercise
Regular physical activity improves psychological well-being and can reduce depression and anxiety. Joining an exercise group or a gym can also reduce loneliness, since it connects you with a new set of people sharing a common goal.
Learn ways to cope
with negative thoughts
Negative thoughts can be insistent and loud. Learn to interrupt them. Don't try to block them (that never works), but don't let them take over. Try distracting yourself or comforting yourself, if you can't solve the problem right away. You might want to try focusing on an issue in a more balanced way (e.g. - try looking at all sides of an issue rather than from just one point of view).
Do one thing
at a time
For example, when you are out for a walk or spending time with your family, turn off your cell phone and stop making that mental "to do" list. Take in all the sights, sounds and smells you encounter.
Do new things/
challenge yourself
Challenging yourself can help to increase your motivation and to set personal goals.
Share
humour
Life often gets too serious, so when you hear or see something that makes you smile or laugh, share it with someone you know. A little humour can go a long way to keeping us mentally fit!
Talk regularly
to loved ones!
Expressing yourself after a stressful day can help you gain perspective, release tension and even boost your body's resistance to illness.
Volunteer
Volunteering is called the "win-win" activity because helping others makes us feel good about ourselves. At the same time, it widens our social network, provides us with new learning experiences and can bring balance to our lives.
Set
personal goals
Goals don't have to be ambitious. You might decide to finish that book you started three years ago; to take a walk around the block every day; to learn to knit or play bridge; to call your friends instead of waiting for the phone to ring. Whatever goal you set, reaching it will build confidence and a sense of satisfaction. Writing the goal down, giving yourself a timeline, and telling others about your goals can all increase your chances of success.
Treat
yourself well
Cook yourself a good meal. Have a bubble bath. See a movie. Call a friend or relative you haven't talked to in ages. Sit on a park bench and breathe in the fragrance of flowers and grass. Whatever it is, do it just for you.
"Collect" positive
emotional moments
Make it a point to recall times when you have experienced pleasure, comfort, tenderness, confidence, or other positive emotions.
Ask
for help
Learning to set boundaries and say no is a very important skill for mental health as is asking for help. In addition to help from family and friends and mental health services, you may find that some of your problems can be solved with help from community agencies. Sometimes, practical help such as home nursing care, Meals On Wheels or subsidized door-to-door transportation for people unable to walk, will greatly reduce the stress in your life.
"Mental Health
for All"
Celebrating Mental Health Week: May 7-13, 2012
CMHA's Mental Health Week is an annual national event that takes place during the first week in May to encourage people from all walks of life to learn, talk, reflect and engage with others on all issues relating to mental health.
Featured Events
07.05.12 - 13.05.12 · Daisy Days
CMHA Winnipeg Region (CMHAW) honours mental health week with their flagship event known as Daisy Days (daisies are the emblem for Mental Health in their city).
Winnipeg09.05.12 · A Day In Her Shoes
Special guest speaker: Elizabeth Manley, Canadian Olympic
Figure Skater and World Silver Medalist.
10.05.12 · CMHA Swift Current Branch Mayor's Luncheon
Guest speaker: Joy Desjarlais, victim rights advocate and
author of The Right to Remain Silent: A Night to Remember.
07.05.12 - 11.05.12 · CMHA Calgary Region - Live Twitter Chat Series
Calgary mental health sector agencies invite all Calgarians to engage in conversation in a Live Twitter Chat series taking place every weekday during Mental Health Week over the lunch hour.
Online