Good mental health acts as a catalyst that allows one to take bold and confident decisions in life. As an entrepreneur, you are required to take some tough and risky decisions at various stages of business. If you are mentally fit, you will be able to achieve your goals smoothly and timely.

We exist in a world of ever-changing and fast-moving aspirations. The need for more comes along with an equal need for a good coping mechanism to accept change and maintain a work-life balance.

We are no saints, such that nothing impacts us. Let’s first accept, that just everything everyday impacts us. Just the intensity varies, some situations just brush off our minds, while others leave a lifetime scar. Few take situations with a pinch of salt, while others wear it along with all their life.

Good mental health acts as a catalyst that allows one to take bold and confident decisions in life. As an entrepreneur, you are required to take some tough and risky decisions at various stages of business. If you are mentally fit, you will be able to achieve your goals smoothly and timely.

Live life like there’s no tomorrow. We must have heard this quote by Omar Kiam umpteen number of times. But it’s easier said than done. Yes, it’s not easy to be neutral. After a point in time people, words and situations start accumulating within us giving way to stress. You may think that lack of mental health is something far from you, or it’s an exaggeration, but nowadays it’s more common than you think.

Also read: How can you harness anxiety to make it a powerful tool?

Mental health includes your emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. It includes how you think, feel, and act while facing life’s situations. Mental health influences the way you look at yourself, your life, and that of others in your life. Just like physical health, mental health is important at every stage of life.

As per WHO, mental health is mental wellbeing in which:

• An individual realises his or her own abilities
• Can cope with the normal stresses of life,
• Can work productively
• Is able to make a contribution to his or her community

There is a saying no health without mental health. In this positive sense, mental health is the foundation for individual wellbeing and the effective functioning of a community.

Indicators of lack of mental health

You can possibly start by looking for these Indicators in your life. 

• Lack of purpose in life or unclear goals
• Falling confidence and communication skills
• Defensive upon any sort of feedback
• Withdrawing from people and typical activities
• An inability to do daily tasks efficiently
• A decrease in energy
• Constant internal conflict in your head and heart
• Fear of the unknown and insecurity
• Abnormal eating or sleeping patterns
• Feelings of helplessness or hopelessness
• Feeling confused, forgetful, angry, nervous, or on edge
• Severe mood swings
• Significant increase in drug or alcohol intake.
• Thoughts of self-harm (Seek immediate help)

If you identify with one or many indicators from the above list, you need to decide whether

-        It’s time to sit back and resolve on your own

-       Or promptly contact a Life Coach to seek timely help for a more stable version of you.

A life coach helps you take control of your life, clarifies goals, identifies obstacles and problematic behaviors, simplifies and declutters your personal and professional life to achieve desired results.

Everybody faces problems, but it’s always wise to nip it at the bud either by self-introspection or by contacting a Life Coach. Timely action will stop your symptoms from digressing into severe states like depression, anxiety wherein a therapist becomes a must.

Self-help

This mere moment while you are reading this piece, is a unique moment. This date and time perhaps with a cup of tea in your hand dressed in your favourite PJs while reading is unique in itself. Will this combination of things at this moment ever repeat? Amidst the pandemic we lost so many near and dear ones, so are we not fortunate that we are alive and living this unique moment? Isn’t this a good reason for us to be happy?

Happiness is everywhere, it’s our perspective that keeps dwindling between seeing the glass half full at times and the very next moment feeling upset about not having enough in life.

As an entrepreneur you are confident, you rise above the rest with your fearless attitude, passion, and creativity. It’s your inbuilt desire and fire which makes you wake up every single morning without any push to reach your goal. So, incorporating some happy healthy habits in your life-giving way to happy hormones in your body should come easy to you.

Happiness hormones that the body is capable of producing by itself include dopamine, which makes us feel good; serotonin, which reduces depression; and endorphins, which make us happy and thus help to reduce physical pain.

It’s important to take care of yourselves and others, to get the most from life. Here are some happy habits, you can start right away:

1. Twice in a week talk to a positive person - A friend, confidant, relative just could be anyone. Dig in really deep into your past and present and find out that one happy soul or few happy souls who you can talk to without any hesitation. Vent out releases stress and it's ok to open up and share your life.

2. Once in a day breathe for 5 minutes in the fresh air - Fresh air has plenty of oxygen, so a few deep breaths help to bring in more of this vital gas to your body. This relaxes your heart since it takes less effort to deliver what your body needs. End result? Your heart rate slows down, and your blood pressure lowers.

3. Twice in a month visit an orphanage or old age home - A change of environment is good for your mental health. Do something which is selfless and without any ulterior motive. For instance: Volunteer, when you feel very unproductive about yourself. After your first visit itself, you will start appreciating the little things in life upon seeing souls who don't have them. Only at such times do you tide over the insignificant and immaterial things and appreciate the bigger picture.

4. Everyday journal - Pick up a notebook and scribble whatever comes to your mind while you have your first beverage of the day. Don’t worry I am not asking you to write a book, just put down your plain thoughts which cross your mind. It could be about work, people, events, ideas. Journaling presents an opportunity for emotional release and helps the brain to regulate emotions. It provides a greater sense of confidence and self-identity.

5. Twice a week invest time in a hobby - Singing, guitar, trek, cooking, solving puzzles, reading fiction, playing a sport, just anything under the sun you desire or aspire to do for years.  What activities do you lose yourself in? Play loud music, **** your head to the beats, jump to reach the top of the world, enjoying yourself helps you to beat the stress.

We pick ourselves up, only after falling. Why can’t we be preventive in nature?

Mental Health Awareness is something much needed in today’s generation. It’s a delicate yet much-needed topic to be talked about.

We are humans, we all sometimes get tired or overwhelmed by how we feel or when things don’t go according to plan. If things are getting too much for you and you feel you can’t cope, ask for help.

Imagine when you have flu, all you need is some dosage of medicines, and you’re back to healthy living. Similarly, our brain needs counseling sometimes and it’s back on track, in fact sometimes we do better than we were doing initially.

The stigma that usually surrounds mental health leads to millions of people worldwide running away from accepting the indicators in their life. Next, if they do accept the indicators, they are just hesitant about receiving timely help. In many cases, symptoms become intense, are overlooked transitioning into extremely prevalent health issues causing suicides and self-harm. It’s about time you understand the importance of mental health and bring this change.

Link to my podcast on Mental Health 

Also read: 4 ways to take care of yourself and improve your mental health during the coronavirus crisis

To explore business opportunities, link with me by clicking on the 'Connect' button on my eBiz Card.

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