Building Habits for Mindfulness
We find ourselves taking care of our physical health in many ways. From drinking enough water, taking our vitamins, eating healthy or working out, we have normalized taking care of our physical health on a daily basis. But we don’t always see the same pattern when we are talking about mental health. While the habits for taking care of mental health look different than physical health, and in some cases can even be more difficult, they are equally as important. How we talk to ourselves and how we talk to others is just as important as eating a healthy lunch everyday.
Being college students, we all understand that we are supposed to be mindful of our mental health, but what does that mean? While the habits are different for everyone, there are many ways to check in with yourself and how you are feeling. Like physical health, it is important that we are taking intentional steps to work on our mental health. Whether that be working out to clear the mind or having a cup of tea before bed, these habits are hard to build, but are crucial to staying calm and creating a good relationship with ourselves and the work that we are doing. At this age, creating a good relationship with ourselves and the work that we are doing is crucial. Some of my favorite ways to be mindful of my mental health are journaling, meditating and setting goals for myself.
Journaling is one of my favorite ways to keep checking in with myself. While I have found that I have been inconsistent with how I have been journaling throughout the years, even the smallest efforts are helpful. When I am not reflecting on my day and my feelings at the end of the night, I found that another alternative that is easier to build as a habit is keeping a bullet journal or a planner. Writing down everything you have to do that day and your schedule also gives a chance to write down how you are feeling mentally or one goal that you have for yourself for that day. Some of my favorite journaling prompts are: writing about my day, writing about my feelings, writing about where I am in my mental journey, writing about my intentions and writing about where and who I want to be.
Meditating is also a great step to take, whether it be to clear your mind, ground yourself, or even start your day. There are many ways to meditate, whether it be a daily guided meditation, or taking 5 minutes in the morning to focus on your breathing; it serves as a great way to calm nerves and be present in the moment. I found that the more I meditated and got into the habit of meditating, I felt less stressed and overwhelmed, and my brain felt less clattered. Some of my favorite meditation practices are found on the app Headspace, on Youtube, or even prompts on Pinterest.
Remember that working on mental health is important, but it is a journey. Mental health is not an overnight process and it is one that can feel lonely and stagnant. Be kind to yourself and set realistic expectations for yourself, but remember: like working out, every time you do it, you put yourself in a better place than you were before.