According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mental health is one of the major contributors of our overall health and wellbeing. Fortunately, in recent times, people are becoming more aware of the importance of maintaining good mental health and are starting to reach out when things go wrong. But how do we know when we have good mental health? If you are generally well and looking to improve your mental health, here’s a summary of some of the goals to aim for:
- You are able to use talents, energy and abilities effectively and productively
- You take pleasure in accomplishing things and enjoy challenges
- You are able to maintain a loving and meaningful relationship with caring and genuine intimacy
- You find joy and meaning in belonging to a larger community (such as a sporting group or church)
- You express purpose and meaning in mentoring or nurturing others
- You are empathetic and able to respond to others’ needs and feelings
- You can assert and communicate your needs appropriately when necessary
- You enjoy a sense of humour and recognise humour in others
- You are able to tolerate information which is emotionally threatening, or challenges your own beliefs and are able to learn and benefit from it
- You are able to come to terms with past painful experiences and learn and grow from the situation
- You are able to articulate who you are
- You have an active and satisfying sex life
- You are comfortable with social situations
- You are generally content with and enjoy life’s activities
- You are able to express your feelings in a healthy way which is proportionate to the intensity of the situation
- You are able to acknowledge and tolerate alternative viewpoints, even if they clash with your own beliefs
- You live up to your moral standards and ethical beliefs
- You are creative and able to problem solve in novel ways
- You are responsible and conscientious
- You are outgoing and energetic
- You are insightful and able to understand the subtleties and sophistication of yourself and others
- You are able to pursue and find meaning in long-term goals and ambitions
- You are able to form close and lasting friendships though the sharing of experiences and mutual support
If you feel you are lacking in some of these areas, reaching out to friends, researching self-help strategies, connecting to EAP Assist can help you to boost your mental health.