It’s been almost a year since the coronavirus found its way to us and it now seems like it’s not going anywhere for a little while. The pandemic has had a tremendous impact on our everyday lives and with that, our mental state. Throughout the past year, a lot more people have experienced negative thoughts or struggled with feelings of stress, anxiety or depression. In order to keep you sane during these challenging times, we will dive deeper into mental wellness, what mindfulness is and how you can improve your mental wellness. Those are some tips we could all use, right?

What is mental wellness?

Before we put our snorkels on and dive into the depths of mental wellness, it’s important to first talk about what mental wellness actually is. We talk about mental health, mental wellbeing, mental wellness… it can start to become a bit confusing. Is it all the same or is there an actual difference between them? Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being. Mental wellness is more than just this, it is an internal resource that helps us to think, feel, connect and function. Mental wellness is a resource as it is dynamic and renewable and it is a process that we have to engage in proactively. It’s not just a static state of being. 

Self-improvement

To improve your mental wellness, you should actively and consciously take action to enhance it. What’s important to know is that mental wellness does not simply include the absence of mental illness. Your mental wellness is not automatically perfect when you’re not struggling with stress, anxiety or depression. Self-improvement includes taking actions and learning to become a better version of ourselves, which contributes to our mental wellness. Self-improvement can be done in a lot of ways, including self-help books, coaching, cognitive training. However, self-improvement can be achieved in much more simple ways, through yoga, meditation or aromatherapy. All three forms of self-improvement help to relax the body and mind which creates a more positive state of mind.  

How can meditation help your mental wellness?

There are four things that are most important to help you achieve mental wellness: activity and creativity; connection and meaning; rest and rejuvenation; and growth and nourishment. Yoga and meditation combine these ways and have proven to be effective to help with your mental wellness. Meditation is the practice of thinking deeply or focusing on what you feel to stimulate inner peace and relaxation. By starting your day off with ten to twenty minutes of either yoga or meditation, you will notice a big difference in your mindset. This will contribute to your mental wellness in the long run. If you’re interested in small changes that will help with your mental wellness, you can read about five everyday habits to live by for better wellbeing. 

What are nutraceuticals and botanicals?

The word nutraceuticals combines the words ‘nutrient’ and ‘pharmaceutical’ and is a term that is used to describe any product that is derived from food sources with additional health benefits. This implies that nutraceuticals not only have a nutritional function but serve other health benefits as well, including mental wellness. Nutraceuticals come in the form of natural supplements, herbals and botanicals. A botanical is a (part of a) plant that is valued for its medicinal or therapeutic properties, flavor, or scent. Scents have a big impact on our mental wellness and can be used to shift between different mindsets throughout the day. That is why aromatherapy is highly recommended to use to improve your mental wellness. 

We would love to hear about your mental wellness journey. You can also keep in touch via our Instagram @iamscentered or sign up to our newsletter for updates, news and offers.