Mental wellness fluctuates. Whether your stars aren’t aligned, you have no energy, or it’s just one of those days, we’ve all experienced a bad mental health day. Sometimes our darkest thoughts win, clouding everything we do and experience.
Luckily, there are many ways to disperse those clouds and allow a little light to reach us. Here are different ways to support someone having a bad mental health day and how to be that guiding light for those stuck in more than just a rut.
Encourage Them To Connect With Nature
Nature is one of the most natural forms of remedies. It gifts many benefits, from vitamin intake to distraction-free serenity and fresh air. Plants also boost serotonin, as they offer a visual representation of thriving. Encouraging others to connect with nature allows them to reap the benefits of the outdoors, immersing them in a better mental and physical space.
Encourage someone who’s having a bad mental health day to spend time outdoors by taking them on a nature walk, inviting them to a park picnic, or going for a bike ride together. Gifting floral arrangements and plants also gives them an opportunity to surround themselves with nature. Flowers impact one’s mental well-being in many beneficial ways that mirror spending time outdoors. If they don’t want to go out, bring nature to them.
Acknowledge Their Emotions and Thoughts
As much as we all would like to shove our emotions and thoughts aside, welcoming numbness over pain, all of our emotions deserve acknowledgment. They are how we express ourselves—our soul, subconscious, body, and mind.
Providing an ear demonstrates your acknowledgment of what your friend is feeling. It allows them to also show kindness to themselves and reflect on why their day feels off. Sometimes sitting in silence and just enjoying one another’s presence is support enough to show that you’re there for one another.
Host a Mindfulness Catch-Up Session
Help your friend or loved one acknowledge their emotions and thoughts by hosting a mindfulness hangout session. Practicing mindfulness daily offers many benefits. It strengthens your connection to your thoughts and feelings.
Journal, meditate, craft manifestation boards, and partake in many other mindfulness activities together to immerse yourselves in a positive and nurturing energy. It allows the person you’re supporting to channel their inner selves and discover what they need to do to heal and grow. Practicing mindfulness together also allows both of you to set intentions and healthy habits that minimize future bad days.
Support someone having a bad mental health day with these three tips, and let some light and positive vibes back into their world. There are many ways to tend to one’s mental wellness. As you support others to nurture their mind, you also allow yourself to practice different means of tending to your own mental health. Strengthen your mental wellness together and make those bad days less occurrent.