You're Doing Well. Now What?

I view health on a continuum and being in the position to maintain good mental health is a wonderful place to be. It is often overlooked because putting fires out can be all-consuming, leaving health maintenance as an afterthought until symptoms worsen again. But in the maintenance stage of mental health, you can experience life unfolding as a rich creative process. You can experience healing and also growth.

How can we keep growing, rather than just waiting for things to get rough again before taking action? Strike while the iron is cold, so to speak, with these 5 R’s for maintaining mental health.

Relationships: Speak up and voice your concerns early on before resentments build, but know it is rarely too late to do so. Since repressed or volatile emotions can fester into illness, express how you feel in a way that respects yourself and the other person. The prerequisite to this is to feel your feelings in full range; then be honest and kind about what you want. Clarify what is at the heart of the matter and listen to your loved ones with an open heart. Schedule regular check-ins with your inner circle—daily or weekly—to connect, communicate needs, and clear up any misunderstandings. This is also the perfect time to express gratitude for specific things you appreciate about each other.

Routine: Invite rhythm and routine into each day starting with a regular wake-up time seven days a week. Rather than monotony, simple structure provides flow to your day. Use scheduled anchors like breakfast, meditation, or sitting outside to help your brain and body wake up well and anticipate what is next. Routine behaviors cue the most efficient use of your internal biological resources (see allostasis). When you wake, think of one thing that is working well and notice your breath. Make your bed slowly before you check your phone.

Run: Walk, dance, stretch, or run every single day. Savor the mechanics of your body, brain, and breath that keep you going. If sitting is the new smoking, quit sitting for just a few minutes every hour and move your body. A full hour of movement is just over 7 percent of your entire day. Whenever possible, go outside.

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Risk: Once you have a routine, take a risk and try something new. Let your mind wander beyond the routine you have created. Finding pleasure in the small things of daily life is key; now add something unusual—a new skill, experience, or habit. Make an unrealistic goal to practice getting out of your own limiting thoughts. The combination of small pleasures and new experiences gives your brain the dopamine hit it needs to be happy, grow, and adapt to the ever-changing landscape.

Remember: Since everything changes, there will be a new challenge on the horizon. Trust that you will take it as it comes; no need to borrow worry from the future. There is no way or need to anticipate all that could go wrong. Investing in self-care today will prepare you enough for a future challenge. You have seen hard times and survived them. You have the internal resources to navigate hard times and ask for help. Trust life, the universe, and everything that you are not only going to be okay, you already are.