I have put together all my best mental health tips for you below. Some have links to more information. I hope you find them useful! :-)

Write down all the things you have achieved in life

Write down all the things you are good at

Write down three things you are grateful for today. More about this HERE (opens in a new window)

We can’t always do everything ourselves. Sometimes we need to ask for help. We wouldn’t hesitate to get a plumber in if we couldn’t fix the washing machine ourselves.

If you need a wake up call, splashing cold water on your face might be just the thing! It will wake you up but also can change negative thoughts or feelings. It is also calming to bring your temperature down.

Hot water bottles and blankets may be just the comfort you need!

We all know about to do lists, but what about a ‘done’ list. After doing a task, write it down and tick it off. It’s very satisfying, without the pressure and we may be more likely to do something if the pressure if off to do it.

Instead of concentrating on lots of things, take one thing at a time and tackle that. Then move on to the next.

If you have trouble fitting in ‘self care’ put it in your diary - an hour here and there could work wonders on your feelings of self worth and self esteem and could help you to feel relaxed and purposeful.

Start your day as you mean to go on - if you are stressed first thing, you will be trying to get rid of the stress. But, if you wake and are relaxed, it will make a big difference. The same goes for going to bed. If you go to be relaxed, you will most likely wake relaxed.

When going from one mode or task to another, give yourself a little time in-between to prepare for the next thing. When coming home from work take time to transition into home mode, and vice versa, from being mum to being a friend etc.

Learning is great for our minds - what could you learn today? From a book, a person (ask questions) or the internet. I personally love TedTalks.

We need connection. Contact someone today, give someone you love a hug, make plans to see friends.

Try to find a space that is your space - somewhere you can go to if you need space away from family etc.

Eat one piece of dark chocolate a day (not at night) - flavonoids, caffeine, and theobromine in chocolate are thought to work together to improve alertness and mental skills

Make sure you get your omega-3 (oily fish, nuts and seeds, and olive oil) as it can play a role in the prevention of depression.

Writing can be very cathartic - if you have a problem, a story or something you are bursting to get out - write it down.

Art, be it sketching, painting or colouring in books, is great for mental wellbeing, mindfulness and calming anxiety

Write down what you want to achieve and carry it around to remind you. 

Do you have a happy playlist? If not, it might be worth making one if you can. If not, get your favourite CD’s out or put on a favourite radio station. 

Incorporate ‘breathing exercises’ into your day. We often forget to breathe when we are anxious or stressed. This will give us a regular breathe so that when we need it, we can use it as a coping mechanism too. Make some time to breathe in and out in a relaxed way. 

Write an unsent letter to those who you cannot talk to. It can help to release trauma and negative thoughts.

If you cannot sleep, do something relaxing like reading or colouring in. Open a window, or change your sheets for a fresh, inviting bed.

Remember to be nice to yourself. Life isn’t all about people pleasing, it’s about pleasing self too. Be kind to self. Treat yourself as you would others’

Make a list of all the things that make you smile. It will be a good list to go to when you are not feeling so great. You can pick something from it and do it. It will be your personal list.

Have a chat with yourself - Ask yourself “How are you today?” And ‘What do you need?”

Sometimes, we just need to accept that we feel a certain way - there isn’t always an answer or solution to everything, and sometimes we just feel sad, down, a little stressed etc.

Not always, but sometimes distraction is just what we need. Doing something to stop ourselves feeling a certain way or thinking negative thoughts.

Make a list of all the things that help you to relax. Your own personal list you can go to at any time.

Make sure you practice self care - be it having a treat, an hour extra in bed, a long bath, a new activity, doing something you like, eating well, getting a good sleep, or just having a few moments to yourself.

Don’t be afraid to change plans, sometimes they need to change if they are not working for us or others’. Sometimes we need to be the ones to change the plans if they are not working for us.

Mental health workbooks can be useful - check them out.

Write down any negative thoughts you have - see if there is a pattern of negative thoughts or whether they are triggered by certain things.

Try to never regret - think of mistakes or things that didn’t go your way as lessons learned (positive), not things to regret (negative).

Make things to look forward to; in the short and long term. We feel good when we have things planned.

Try not to use the word ‘should’. Instead use words like ‘I could’ or ‘I want to’. ‘Should’ means we are putting pressure on doing something unnecessarily. 

Have a ‘not so good day’ plan written out. Write it when you are feeling good. It will help you to be more positive with self help when you are having a bad day and it will be in your voice of reason.

Get nostalgic - dip into games, smells, food, activities, places etc from the past that remind you of good times.

Check out mental health podcasts or talks on mental health via places like Ted Talks (ted.com) 

Make your home space work for you - make it comfortable, warm and just how you like it.

Focus on what you can control and not what you cannot control. We need to have control of ourselves and our thoughts in particular.

Having a routine is great for mental health. This could be going to bed at the same time, eating regularly, time for work and down time, exercising and doing things you love.

Limit your screen time so you have balanced down time. Take a break from the news if you need to.

Remember to eat tasty things, smell things you like, look at things that make you smile, listen to things that bring warmth to you and touch comforting things - basically use your five senses for wellbeing and mindfulness. I’ve written more about this HERE (opens in a new window)

Make sure you have purpose and meaning in life - we need things to get us out of bed in the morning. It could be work, volunteering, arts and crafts, creating music, singing, or any group interest. I write more about this HERE (opens in a new window)

Write a letter to yourself about what you want to achieve and who you are now. You can keep It for the future, but it will help to ground you in the moment.

Remember you are not alone - everyone has their vulnerabilities.

Remember, we all carry our inner child with us. We lived as a child, so of course we do. It’s all in our memory. We might bring him/her out as fun or wonder, or it might be trauma, but be kind to your inner child, make a new relationship with him/her, let them know you are now looking after YOU. 

Make sure you laugh - put on a funny film, remember good times with friends and family or just laugh out loud. I love a funny animal video myself.

Turn off your phone and go see someone in person

Jump around and dance! Even if it’s when you are cleaning or bored! Dancing can reduce levels of cortisol (stress hormone), and increases endorphins (our"feel-good" chemicals). Have fun like no-one is watching!

Spending time with animals lowers the stress hormone, cortisol, and boosts oxytocin, which stimulates feelings of happiness. Whether it’s your own pet, a friends pet or animals at a local rescue centre where you could volunteer.

Omega-3 fatty acids are linked to decreased rates of depression Use fish oil supplements or eat wild salmon, flaxseeds or walnuts.

Let things go - if someone cuts you up in the car, pushes past you etc, don’t let it ruin your day.

Get a good sleep. Poor sleep can increase the excretion of ghrelin, which makes us hungry. Added to poor judgement, we can eat too much of the foods that are not good for us. Did you know that lettuce and bananas are calming... bananas are great for sleep. Lack of sleep can raise cortisol levels resulting in an anxious mood.

Research has shown that being in nature can increase energy levels, reduce depression and boost well-being.

Vitamin D is a mood elevator - get a bit of sun, or take supplements

Try something new - a change really can be as good as a rest and you might just enjoy it

Take back control of your anger if you have it. If we get annoyed at what people do or do not do, we have to take responsibility for how we feel. We cannot afford to go around blaming everyone else for our anger. For one thing, we will be stuck in our anger. For another, it is not right. I have written more about this HERE (opens in a new window)

Alcohol and anxiety. Alcohol has an effect on brain chemistry - it can induce panic because of its effects on GABA, a chemical in the brain that normally has a relaxing effect. Small amounts of alcohol can stimulate GABA and cause feelings of relaxation, but heavy drinking can deplete GABA, causing increased tension and feelings of panic. So, this is why we can experience anxiety after drinking alcohol. Hangxiety, Hangover anxiety, beer fear - whatever you want to call it.

Make sure you have good personal boundaries - more about this HERE (opens in a new window)

Don't make assumptions! More about this HERE (opens in a new window)