On The Up and Up: Keeping A Positive Mental State

Some people are natural optimists. They seem to maintain a positive outlook on life, no matter what. For others of us, however, circumstances and experiences may have dimmed our sunny disposition and we may need to acquire some skills to help us gain—or regain—a healthy sense of wellness.At Wilmington Psychotherapy, we employ a variety of counseling techniques and coping strategies, and the simple three-ring binder is one of our favorite, and most accessible, tools.

Do Try This At Home

Once you have your binder, label the first section as your Wellness Toolbox. In it, simply identify and list the things you know are healthy habits or are ways to help you through a difficult time, whether proven methods or things you want to try. Eating well, exercising, getting a healthy amount of sleep and drinking plenty of water are obvious strategies. Additionally, you can benefit tremendously by making time for enjoyable activities, such as playing a musical instrument, reading a good book, writing in a journal or having a conversation with a friend. Appropriate medications, vitamins and food supplements may be helpful, as well.Ideas for your Wellness Toolbox can range from the immediately accessible actions, such as taking deep breaths or meditating, to special treats, such as getting a massage or taking a vacation. Remember, this is a resource you want to turn to when you are feeling down, so add as many options for helping boosting your mood as possible. Family and friends may offer suggestions as well, as they may observe when you seem to be your happiest.Next, add a Daily Maintenance Plan section to your toolbox. On the first page, write Feeling Well, and describe yourself when you are in a healthy mental state. If you are struggling to come up with a description of your feelings, write how you would like to feel. Some words might be: bright, talkative, outgoing, energetic, humorous and reasonable. Refer to this list when you aren’t feeling well so you can concentrate on achieving these emotions and characteristics.For the next list, write your Dreams and Goals. These can range from the easily achievable to the far-fetched. Identifying your goals and dreams gives you something to look forward to, and can help you focus on taking steps toward reaching them.

Make It A Habit

The following page or pages should describe the things you need to do every day to maintain your wellness. The Daily Maintenance list should spring from your Wellness Toolbox, but be sure you don’t overwhelm yourself with too many tasks to accomplish in a single day. Remind yourself of this daily “must do” list to keep yourself on the right track. Be sure to check in with yourself on how you are doing physically, emotionally and spiritually, and be productive daily.As opposed to the must-do list, your Reminder List contains things you sometimes need to do to keep yourself well. Write “Do I Need To…?” at the top of the page, and then list items such as: schedule an appointment with a health care provider; spend time with a friend or family member; plan something fun; do some peer counseling. For some people, important chores such as grocery shopping and doing laundry can be included on this reminder list.As you use these sections of your binder, you may find you want to cross out the things that aren’t working for you and add new items as you think of them. Taking this proactive step can be extremely helpful for people who feel down or in a rut and need some motivation and positive momentum.

Don’t Dwell On Negatives

A second part of your book can be devoted to triggers, identified as external events or circumstances that produce very uncomfortable emotional or psychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety, panic, discouragement, despair or negative self-talk. While these feeling are normal, we need to learn effective ways of dealing with them so we do not cause a downward spiral.Write Triggers on the top of a piece of paper and list those that cause you to have a negative reaction. Common triggers include anniversary dates of losses or trauma, certain sensory perceptions (smells, tastes, sights, sounds) and frightening news events.On the next page, develop a Trigger Action Plan of what you can do to comfort yourself and keep your reactions from becoming extreme. You might refer back to your Wellness Toolbox for ideas, seek counseling, call a support person who will listen as you work through the situation, do relaxation or physical exercises, or find something else that works to reduce your anxiety and sense of being overwhelmed. Try new strategies and add to your list as your discover additional techniques for dealing with these stressors.

Here To Help

When we do need help getting through life’s challenges, Wilmington Psychotherapy offers individual psychotherapy, couples counseling, and group therapy to address many issues, including substance use disorders, marital discord, aging issues, job concerns, family issues, spiritual concerns and health problems. If something is disrupting your mind, body or spirit, Contact us today to schedule an appointment.