February 14th is recognized and celebrated throughout the world as Valentine’s Day. While it has historically been primarily perceived as a day to celebrate romantic love, countless newer initiatives promote Valentine’s Day as a time for self-love and demonstrating general acts of love and kindness throughout our communities. Since the world changed with COVID-19, many people have become more isolated. For those with mental health disorders who already felt the impacts of social isolation, COVID-19 has presented even more challenges. During this unprecedented time, Rose Hill Center is proud to provide extensive community support services to those receiving mental health treatment at our Holly, Michigan treatment center. Call 866.367.0220 today to learn about the mental health services available to you or your loved one.
Tips for How to Be the Best Version of Yourself on Valentine’s Day and Beyond
We are all works-in-progress. Personal growth requires a combination of dedicated individual effort and external support. With Valentine’s Day, there comes an inexplicable amount of pressure, no matter your relationship status or mental health. This Valentine’s Day, instead of focusing on the negative, try changing your perspective to protect and enhance your mental health by considering these tips:
- Celebrate your relationship with yourself – The longest relationship you will have in your life is with yourself. Learning to love yourself is vital to having healthy relationships with others.
- Practice mindfulness – Breathing exercises, yoga, mantras, or listening to a mindfulness app or podcast can help bring you into the current moment and reduce stress and anxiety.
- Turn off social media – The apps designed to make us feel connections to others typically make us feel insecure and fuel anxiety and depression.
- Invest in all relationships – Reach out to family and friends to let them know how much you love and appreciate them.
- Reach out for support – Call or text a trusted friend, family member, or therapist if you are struggling. If you have harmful or suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at (800)- 273-8255.
At Rose Hill Center, our community support services provide 24-hour access to mental health support.
The Connection Between Mental Health and Motivation
Motivation is the desire to act to achieve a goal. It is a driving force of human behavior, making us strive for meaning and purpose in life. Motivation can be extrinsic, where outside sources inspire us, or intrinsic, where inspiration comes from within. Everyone feels unmotivated from time to time, but a persistent lack of motivation can result from mental health disorders. Emotions play a significant role in motivation. If you feel lonely, anxious, or depressed, it is challenging to feel motivated to do even the simplest tasks. When you are feeling unmotivated, consider the following tips:
- Use the 10-minute rule – Getting started is often the most challenging part of a task. Permit yourself to quit after 10 minutes. When you reach the 10-minute mark, ask yourself if you want to stop or keep going. Most likely, you will find that you have the motivation to finish.
- Break larger tasks into more manageable ones – Focus on the individual components. For example, rather than thinking about cleaning the whole house, focus on the bathroom or focus on just cleaning the sink within the bathroom.
- Give yourself credit for the small things – Focusing on and appreciating the small tasks you accomplish can help keep you motivated.
- Act as if you are motivated – Trick yourself into feeling motivated by changing your behavior. Instead of waiting for motivation to strike, get up and get moving.
Most importantly, seek help when you need it. If you have little to no motivation for two weeks or longer, impacting your daily functioning, please reach out for professional help. A lack of motivation is a common symptom of mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression.
Reach Out to Rose Hill Center for Support to Be Your Best Self
The community support service at Rose Hill Center provides 24-hour access to mental health support. Our program is flexible and customizable to meet each person’s individual needs. Contact our team at 866.367.0220 or use our secure online form to learn about all of our treatment options.
