Take the Challenge- Week Four (Mental Health)

Congratulations! 

You made it to week four of this challenge. It only takes four weeks, or 28 days to form a lasting habit, and we hope that you have found a few good self-care routines that will stick. 

For our final week, we will be focusing on our Mental Health. 

Taking care of your mental health is crucial. Even if you are someone who takes care of their physical health, exercises, and eats right; if your mental health is not taken care of, it can lead to issues like weight gain, insomnia, hair loss, lack of appetite, etc. 

As detailed in our introductory article here, each week will consist of different tasks in one category. Your challenge is to pick one task to complete out of each category per day. Tasks should challenge you, but not be so difficult that it becomes more damaging to your mental and physical health than if you hadn’t have done it. 

Click here to go to week three- Spiritual health. 

This week’s category is mental health and well-being. 

Mental health is a broad topic, so we will only cover the bases here. 

Everyone’s mental health journey is different. For one, it could be reorganizing their life so they have more downtime. For another, it could be finally taking that step to seek professional help to deal with traumatic issues. What works for one person may not work for another. 

Ready to get started? Read over the days below and pick one task per day to get started! And remember, jot down your progress and any thoughts in a journal or speak with an accountability buddy or therapist. 

Mental:

1. Day 1
   1. Love who you are now. Take a post-it note and write down 5 things that you like about yourself. Put it where you will see it multiple times a day. 
   2. Practice positivity. Take your negative thoughts and turn them positive. This isn’t easy! Doing so will change your “inner voice.”
2. Day 2
   1. Be brave. Choose one thing throughout the day to be brave. It could be sending in that application for a new job that you were nervous about, or it could be saying no to helping someone when you’re busy and drained. 
3. Day 3
   1. Take a social media break. Take the day to stop comparing yourself to others, and see the good in your own life. 
   2. Clear out the clutter on your phone. Do you have 1000 unread emails? Too many saved pictures to count? Take the time to delete what you don’t need. 
4. Day 4
   1. Go to bed early. Give yourself even 30 minutes more to rest and catch up on sleep. Turn all devices off one hour before it is time to sleep. 
   2. Pamper yourself. Take that bubble bath that you’ve been meaning to take, or cook yourself a good meal. 
5. Day 5 Practice mindfulness. Don’t focus on the past or future, but enjoy where you are in the moment. 

1. Day 6 
   1. Evaluate where you are on your mental health journey. Is there anything that has been wearing on you? Consider making an appointment with a counselor or therapist to talk through your journey. 
   2. If you have already developed coping skills, practice ones that you may have neglected for a while. 
2. Day 7
   1. Evaluate how you make things harder for yourself, and list the ways you can make changes to your life and routine to make it easier. 

If you felt any of these really made a difference in your day, try to incorporate them into your schedule at least once a week! It only takes 28 days to form a habit!