There is a lot of talk nowadays about concepts such as psychological well-being or happiness, and it seems that, despite being a common desire for many individuals, not everyone manages to live in that state.
Psychological well-being is a complex concept, but it has to do with feeling good in a general sense That is, being well with oneself, being aligned with the motivations and objectives that structure one’s lifestyle, enjoying the emotional balance necessary to face daily life and even having good physical health. The problem with this type of definitions, however, is that in reality psychological well-being is an abstract and, of course, subjective concept.
This abstraction has to do with beliefs and expectations, with the empowerment of the person and with being surrounded by a context of tranquility and hope.
Nowadays there is a lot of talk about the welfare society but, Who could have psychological well-being in time of war? Obviously the path to well-being depends on oneself, however, environmental conditions have an influence. Likewise, we must not forget that the definition of psychological well-being may vary from one culture to another.
For psychologist Carol Ryff, professor at Pennsylvania State University (United States), psychological well-being is made up of six dimensions. They are the following:
All of them would shape psychological well-being in a comprehensive way, feeding each other.
Habits to improve psychological well-being
Taking into account the previous points, below we have prepared a list of 15 habits that will help you have greater mental well-being.
1. Accept what you cannot change and love yourself
As Carol Ryff says, self-acceptance is key to achieving well-being. If we want psychological well-being to be a lasting trait and not a fleeting moment, we must learn to love ourselves and accept ourselves as we are. We must accept the things that happen to us, when they are inevitable, and move on when we cannot control them. In short, if you can’t change it, accept it
2. Do what you like
Logically, If you don’t do what you like, you will hardly achieve psychological well-being or happiness This refers to both your work and your hobbies. Regarding the latter, the more good times you have doing what you like, the better you will feel.
Regarding employment, if you do not enjoy what you do and do not feel developed, your psychological well-being will be affected. People spend many hours at work, and if we become bitter every time we step foot in the place where we offer our services or products, this will affect our daily life and our emotional balance.
3. Sleep well
Sleep hours are important. When we fail to have a restful sleep or suffer from insomnia, our quality of life, our emotional balance and our psychological well-being are seriously affected.
That’s why, Having good sleep hygiene is essential for good psychological health Sleep hygiene is a series of practices that will help us sleep better.
4. Forgive
Forgiveness is closely related to our mental health. This not only includes forgiving others, but also forgiving ourselves, something that is vitally important if we want to restore emotional balance in our lives and, therefore, our psychological well-being. In other words, If resentment takes over us, our happiness is kidnapped
5. Have realistic goals
Wellness experts pay close attention to the importance of the purposes we have in our lives and the objectives we set for ourselves. This occurs mainly for several reasons, but mainly because the goals we set for ourselves are our vital motivation and are related to our happiness. However, these goals, if they are not realistic, cause us frustration, and in the long run we will suffer the negative consequences of having unreasonable expectations. The objectives must be achievable.
Carol Ryff already says it, Positive relationships are necessary for our psychological well-being In fact, there is a lot of research that affirms that having friends and an active social life has a positive impact on our happiness and mental health.
7. Be proactive
People who enjoy greater psychological well-being are those who are always on the move, which are proactive. This means that they feel empowered and take certain risks. This is what Ryff means when he means autonomy.
8. Nourish yourself in a healthy way
Nutrition is also related to our mental and emotional health. As psychologist Jonathan García-Allen states: “There is a reciprocal relationship between food and our emotions. What we eat not only affects how we feel, but how we feel also affects the way we eat.” This explains why when we are stressed our eating habits change, or that eating well will also affect how we feel throughout the day.
9. Do sports
Another healthy habit is practicing sports Although we often associate exercise with physical well-being, this practice also has an effect on us on a psychological level. Practicing sports causes us to release chemical substances in the brain, such as endorphins or serotonin. These make us feel better and change our perception of life for the better.
10. Reflect and connect with yourself
It is difficult to stop for a moment and reflect on who we are or what our emotional state is today. The accelerated pace of the society in which we live makes it difficult for us to look inside ourselves. We are always aware of what is outside.
Stopping for a second and reflecting is one of the best alternatives to achieve our well-being To do this, you simply have to dedicate 15 or 20 minutes a day to yourself. For example, filling out an emotions diary before going to bed.
11. Meditate
Another way to connect with yourself and your emotions is through meditation Meditation provides you with a moment of inner peace and helps you connect with yourself and your body. Scientific studies show that people who practice this practice have greater psychological well-being, so learning to meditate has a very positive impact on our well-being.
12. Practice gratitude and compassion
Today, psychologists use Mindfulness as a therapeutic tool, aware of the benefits it provides for people’s well-being. Mindfulness is a philosophy that uses meditation to be in the here and now, but that also follows a series of principles or values. These are: awareness, self-acceptance, non-judgmental mindset compassion and gratitude towards ourselves and others.
13. Live in the present
Furthermore, Mindfulness also It is a way of being in the present, of letting go of irrational expectations It helps you become aware of your own emotions of knowing yourself. To be present. Because if you don’t know where you are right now, you can hardly go anywhere.
14. Get out of the comfort zone
If it was previously mentioned that people should be proactive to enjoy greater well-being because it was a symptom of empowerment, another reason to be proactive is to get out of the comfort zone. The comfort zone is a zone of non-learning, of non-growth and limits you when it comes to growing and developing. Not developing yourself is not having psychological well-being. So staying in the comfort zone is not good for you.
15. Practice Emotional Intelligence
Emotions play a very important role in our well-being Research shows that emotionally intelligent people have greater life satisfaction and are happier. Knowing our own emotions and those of others, and regulating them if necessary, avoids many conflicts and, ultimately, provides us with greater well-being.
