This week on the podcast I was joined by clinical and corporate psychologist Dr Jodie Lowinger. We discussed a big topic, mental health and various tools for helping it. Mental health issues are incredibly wide spread in our society and I was shocked to learn how widespread it is amongst young people. The reality is we are all exposed to a huge amount of information and stimuli that can have a negative effect on all our mental health, whether diagnosed with a specific condition or not. Jodie shared some great take-aways in this episode to support mental health, including the importance of sleep and nutrition. In addition to this I’ve put together a list of some very simple things you can start incorporating each day to further cultivate happiness.

• Spend 5 minutes in nature
• Take your time eating your food, notice and appreciate every texture, flavour and smell
• Before going to sleep list 3 things you are grateful for
• Sit on a park bench and just spend time watching the world go by
• Listen to music without doing anything else
• Spend a day with no plans
• Let someone know why they are special to you
• Take 3 deep breaths
• Make an effort to stop rushing and start slowing down
• Have a device-free day
• Go for a bushwalk
• Do something creative
• Listen deeply to someone, without interrupting them
• Do something that makes you happy
• Learn a new skill
• Take a different route to your normal one
• Take the time to scan down your body and acknowledge how your body feels
• Spend time with people who build you up
• Lie on the couch and reminisce about a happy memory
• Go for a walk without any devices, just notice the sounds and smells around you
• Finish work early
• Sit down and enjoy your coffee
• Listen to the sound of rain
• Enjoy the feeling of the sun on your face or wind on your body
• Get into the garden and get your hands dirty
• Read a book that builds you up

These are just some simple suggestions to support you to living a happier life. To dive deeper into the components of happiness read this blog post I wrote on Martin Seligman’s PERMAH model. Mental health is a very individual experience but there is a lot of evidence-based support out there and a lot of simple steps we can all take to improve our own mental health. Click here for more information on Dr Jodie Lowinger’s Anxiety Clinic.

Mental health and the power of thought is something I explore in depth in my book, A Life Less Stressed.