“When we learn how to become resilient, we learn how to embrace the beautifully broad spectrum of the human experience.”
― Jaeda Dewalt
Our most common points of interest at The Rules of Thumb blog from MoneyThumb are accounting, small business, lending, and personal finance. However, today we are going to broach a subject that is of the utmost importance during these trying times, and that is how we can all stay mentally resilient during this pandemic.
Many of our blog readers have suddenly been forced to make the transition from going into the office to working from home, and some have even lost their jobs. These kinds of abrupt changes can be decimating if you are not mentally resilient. Too many people think of the strictly physical aspects when told they need to stay healthy. If you search Google for 'staying healthy' you won't find one single article on the first page about how to maintain good mental health. All of the first page articles are about eating right, getting plenty of sleep and exercising. Those things are very important, crucial even, but without attending to our mental state, we still won't feel optimally healthy.
Unfortunately, as evolved as we consider ourselves to be as a species, people are still uncomfortable talking about mental health, but we have made huge strides in the mental health arena. At least we don't lock crazy Aunt Bertha in the attic anymore. The truth is, when a taboo subject like poor mental health is given room to breathe, it begins to improve.
So how can we stay mentally resilient and make sure we are taking care of our mental health during these trying times? The Rules of Thumb blog from MoneyThumb has listed proven ways to maintain good mental health below, along with free resources you can take advantage of if you are having difficulty staying mentally resilient these days:
- Listen to podcasts--There are quite a few podcasts that will help you feel calmer, improve your outlook and help you to become more mentally resilient. While taking your daily walk, which is a proven way to improve both your physical and mental health, you can listen to a podcast. Below are a few podcasts we consider helpful:
- Read motivational and inspirational books--As a lifelong bookworm and your blogger, I would like to take the liberty today to suggest books that have helped me personally with motivation and inspiration. I am not including links to purchase these because MoneyThumb is not in the business of selling books, but a Google search will quickly lead you to a purchase option. Most of these will have used options and often those don't cost much at all, or you can check them out for free at your local library.....when it opens:
Man's Search for Meaning
The Alchemist
The Four Agreements
The Power of Positive Thinking
The 5 Second Rule
Tuesdays With Morrie
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff
- Keep in touch With friends and relatives--Maybe this one should have been first because right now for most of us, maintaining connection is crucial. Especially for people who are not used to isolation and live alone, keeping in touch with those you care about can make a huge difference in your mental health. A lot of people use social media to socialize online, some would rather talk on the phone or text, but whatever way you handle it, staying in frequent contact with friends and relatives is very important during these trying times.
- Try yoga, meditation, dancing--If you have never tried yoga and/or meditation, you may poo pa and say it's just new-age nonsense. You couldn't be more wrong. In fact, many forward-thinking companies are incorporating yoga and mediation into their wellness policies. You can practice yoga and meditation at home, although I really do miss my yoga class, it's more fun for me as a class. If you have never practiced either of these arts, here are some guidelines to get you started. Don't feel silly, but if you do just continue and laugh at yourself, which brings up our next suggestion. If you just do not want to try either of these arts, just dance!
- Watch funny movies, TV shows: anything to make you laugh--There is no truer statement than 'laughter is the best medicine.' It has been scientifically proven in fact. This article from Forbes list 6 science-based reason why laughter is truly the best medicine.
- Listen to Music--There's nothing that soothes the savage beast like music. Taste in music is almost as varied as we are, so we won't make suggestions. Follow your musical bliss.
The team at MoneyThumb hopes the above tips will help you stay more mentally resilient in these tough times. We are all in this together and the truth is we will come out stronger and even more resilient as a species when things settle down.
We'd love it if you'd share this blog post on your social media page. Thank you and have a great weekend!
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