Whatever you can do to keep yourself away from quickly satisfying impulses will be a big help in keeping your mind healthy and possibly even keeping you satisfied with the goings-on in your life.
Us chasing after our basic desires, and lacking the willpower to hold ourselves back is probably one of the biggest blockades when it comes to mental health. As people lack more and more willpower, they are going to find other things in their life to be a lot harder.
For instance, if someone lacks the ability to control themselves when it comes to eating, it is likely they are going to become obese. As we know, obesity can cause many more health and mental health problems and spiral out from there.
But I’m not just talking about problems like not being able to prevent yourself from eating, or even other more extreme problems such as drug or alcohol addiction.
These are serious problems, but they aren’t the most widespread, and they take more than just some words to fix. People with real addictions and so forth need more than an article written online to help them.
Too Much, Too Fast
Instead, I want to address problems that are much more common. Things that people complain about a lot, yet perhaps aren’t big enough problems that they pull everyone’s attention to them.
Or, perhaps there is a social stigma around addressing these issues as problems. People like to shrug off many concerns about younger generations as old folk just complaining about new things in the world.
But that would be like saying Slots Play Casino isn’t a “real casino” because it’s online. Of course it’s still a casino! It’s just that people like to complain about new things even if they are great and fun just because they are new to them!
So, it is still important to look at new things and problems that crop up with a critical eye. The people who ignore these issues are only doing it because they want to be as far opposite of the people who are criticizing them as they can be, and dang the consequences.
For example, we hear it over and over again from people are from older generations. Phones are bad for us, and we should go back to the good ol’ days where people read books and whatnot.
And yeah, some of what some people have put forth has been rather extreme. And, on the whole, technology and its availability have made the world a better place.
However, there are some serious side effects of us having access to anything and everything all of the time at a moment’s notice. There is so much in front of us to capture our attention, but so little with any depth.
I won’t get into the attention span discussion, because that is still up in the air between researchers. Some say there have been negative effects on attention span, others say no.
However, I will mention some other negative consequences. First of all, using your phone a lot can bring a lot of stress into your life that you don’t really need. All the more so if it can be avoided.
Whether it be the never-ending feed of news headlines that seem to proclaim nothing but doom and gloom, to the self-image effects of social media on its users, there is no end to the stress the internet and our technology can bring to our lives.
I want to put the emphasis on the word “can” because I don’t wish people to misinterpret me. I am not saying all of our life’s problems are caused by our phones and the internet. I am only saying that it has added negative things to our lives as well as positive.
Back to my point though, we are constantly bombarded by the entire world and its problems all the time. This can bring a ton of stress and depression into people’s lives.
So, something people should realize is that they aren’t going to be able to solve the world’s problems just by knowing they exist. And unless you actually plan to go out and do something about big issues in the world, it would be better to focus on the here and now.
I’m not saying to be a hermit and ignore any issues in the world, just to focus on those issues that are close to you. Help poor and homeless people in your town, or help pick up trash in your local park.
These are manageable issues that the average person can help with. If everyone focused on helping the issues where they live, then you wouldn’t have to worry about other places. They have their own people to watch out for them.
All of this is to say that you should try to stay in the present. Know there is a big picture, but also realize you are only a small part of it. Do what you can to help, but you don’t need to paint the other side of the picture, there is someone else for that.
If you are able to realize that there are things you can do, and you aren’t responsible for the whole planet, it will help relieve you of some of the stress you get from the neverending headlines that proclaim the world is ending.
Be Willing to Listen And Try
Another big tip I can give that could really help you with your mental health, is simply being open to listening and trying.
When I say this, it could really apply to anything. Whether it be meditation, or advice, or a new idea, being open to at least listen and try can help protect you from arguments and stubbornness.
As we know, arguing with people a lot can bring all sorts of issues. Whether it be stress or simply feelings of dissatisfaction with the people around you.
Or, if you want to talk about activities, if you are never open to anything new, then how can you broaden your horizons so to speak? You will eventually fall into the trap of not finding enjoyment in the things you used to.
And, because you never tried to branch out to other things, you will have to start from square one and it might just be a little too overwhelming.
So, whether it is advice, or simply someone just wants you to try something, it is worthwhile to listen. Give it a try! You will end up with a lot more satisfaction and experience in your life than you thought you would.