Mental health is just as important to your quality of life as is your physical health. Just like physical health is not only the absence of disease, mental health is much more than just the absence of a mental illness. The World Health Organization defines health as: “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

However, the challenge of achieving mental health is to actively engage in activities that promote positive mental well-being. While many people are active to improve their physical well-being, often they wait until they develop a mental illness before taking steps to improve their state of mental health. In other words, positive mental health is feeling good about yourself, feeling in control, being able to face life’s challenges without becoming overwhelmed, and feeling that your life is meaningful and worthwhile. Here are some tips to help you practice positive mental health.

•  Build a healthy self-esteem. Be positive about yourself and avoid harsh self-criticism.
• Take a daily break from your worries and concerns. It helps you relax.
• Manage stress effectively. Delegate and learn to say “no”. Be polite but firm.
• Acknowledge and express your emotions. Try not to “bottle-up” things inside.
• Develop positive relationships with family and friends. Respect, support, and stay in touch with one another.
• Create a reasonable budget and live within your means. Plan ahead and set goals.
• Enjoy nutritious foods and regular physical activity. They fuel your body, mind, and spirit.
• Create strategies to cope with changes. Control what you can.
• Volunteer. Helping others makes us feel good about ourselves, broadens our social contacts, provides new experiences, and can help us balance our lives.
• Laugh more. Enjoy life’s humorous moments and share them with a friend.
• Have a spirituality to call your own.