Prioritizing Mental Health and Wellbeing 

The recent Tokyo 2020 Olympics will always be remembered in the times to come. They have been special for two reasons- one for being held in the times of the pandemic and second as the athletes Naomi Osaka ranked World Number 2 by the Women’s Tennis Association and Simone Biles the most decorated US Women’s Gymnast decided to share their struggles related to mental health with the world and set an example that how important it is to focus on your mental health and making it a priority. We are all busy meeting deadlines, rushing from one task to another, managing tons of things at a time. At times we fail to realize that to be able to take care of all other things we need to take care of ourselves first- taking care of our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Feeling exhausted, stressed out and frustrated, not being able to perform well at work, unable to cope up with the demands of everyday life are all red flag signs that we need to pause, reflect and make self-care a priority. If you experience any of the red flag signs it is time to start taking care yourself and saying yes to yourself and your needs. There are many ways to make your wellbeing a priority and here are just a few things we can start following as a first step towards caring for ourselves. 

1.  Taking care of your physical health- This comes as the first step towards caring for yourself. Having a regular routine, healthy food habits, any form of exercise, and a medical check-up if you still continue to feel out of place are some of the things which can be followed as a first step. Even the simplest health challenges affect our mental and emotional well-being so taking care of our physical health should be a top priority. 
2. Understanding your feelings- I would say feel your feelings. At times we avoid acknowledging our own feelings and as a result we experience an emotional discomfort resulting in anxiety, crankiness and irritation all of which not only impact us but also the people around us. So it becomes important that we do not numb our feelings or run away from them but understand them and ‘feel’ them. 
3. Learning to say ‘No’- We play many roles in our personal and professional lives and as a result there are always expectations from us which we keep fulfilling and at times even stretch ourselves to do so. It is so important to draw our boundaries and learn to say no without feeling guilty about it. 
4. Identify your support system- When we closely look around we can always identify people who have a positive emotional impact on us. Try being in touch with more and more such people and make them a part of your support system. Through their words or actions they would always uplift you and leave you feeling better. 
5. Developing gratitude as a habit- Whatever the circumstances, there is always something that you can be grateful for. By making gratitude a habit we start appreciating the good things in life which we might otherwise take for granted. It increases positivity in life and reduces stress. It makes you a happier person!!