Summer Mental Wellbeing

Summer is the perfect time to work on your mental well-being, the sun is out and it’s easy to get out and about. Below are 5 steps which might help to inspire you:

1. Connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Spend time developing these relationships – maybe by spending the day together. Taking time to strengthen and broaden relationships is good for your wellbeing, and good for the wellbeing of the other people involved.

2. You don't have to go to the gym to be active. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football. Find the activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life. Summer is perfect for swimming or playing tennis on the park.

3. Learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. So why not sign up at college ready for September. Colleges offer a wide range of courses that there is bound to be something to tempt you.

4. Even the smallest act of generosity can count - whether it's a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks.

5. Be more aware of the present moment. Some people call this awareness "mindfulness", and it can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.

It can be easy to rush through life without stopping to notice the truly important things in life. Paying more attention to the present moment – to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you – can improve your mental wellbeing. By becoming more aware of the present moment means you will notice the sights, smells, sounds and tastes that you experience, as well as the thoughts and feelings that occur from one moment to the next. For more information on mental well-being visit the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/improve-mental-wellbeing.aspx