Are you mentally healthy? 15 signs to look for

Below, Rula shares guidance on getting and staying in good mental health.

Key Takeaways

• Good mental health doesn’t mean being happy all the time. It’s about having the coping skills to navigate life’s challenges, manage emotions, and maintain positive relationships.
• Good mental health involves preventative care and being able to cope with emotions, life stressors, and crisis situations using coping skills.
• A therapist can help you prioritize your mental health by offering support, showing you how to handle strong emotions, and helping you change behaviors that may be holding you back.

What is good mental health?

Good mental health isn’t something you’re born with. Rather, it’s a set of skills you can develop over time. Your experiences and the environment you grew up in shape how you handle stress and solve problems. Some people learn these skills from their families growing up, while others pick them up later in life.

If your coping skills aren’t helping you, it’s never too late to learn better ones. A therapist can guide you in recognizing what isn’t working and teach you healthier ways to deal with life’s challenges. It’s important to know that it is possible to achieve good mental health even after going through very difficult experiences.

Good mental health means feeling capable and confident enough to manage daily stresses and more serious crises. Signs of strong mental health include:

1. Coping with change: Handling setbacks, challenges, and changes without feeling overwhelmed
2. Confident decision making: Trusting your ability to solve problems and make decisions effectively
3. Healthy relationships and boundaries: Maintaining meaningful relationships while confidently saying no when needed
4. Sense of purpose: Having a purpose in life or the ability to find meaning so you can recover faster after experiencing negative stress
5. Positive outlook and strong coping skills: Using healthy strategies, like seeking support or practicing gratitude, to avoid harmful behaviors
6. Stress management: Managing stress in a balanced way without anxiety or excessive worry taking over
7. Self-awareness and self-worth: Accepting and truly seeing yourself, imperfections and all, while realizing your strengths
8. Emotional regulation: Managing your emotions effectively, allowing you to stay calm under pressure and expressing your feelings in a healthy way
9. Work-life balance: Prioritizing time for yourself, your family, and your work responsibilities
10. Self-care: Engaging in activities that recharge you, such as exercise, relaxation, and hobbies
11. Empathy: Understanding others’ feelings and working to foster deeper connections and mutual respect
12. Ability to be present: Living in the moment and reducing worry about the past or future
13. Gratitude and appreciation: Finding joy in life’s little moments and being appreciative of what you have
14. Flexibility: Adapting to new situations and being open to unexpected changes or paths
15. Optimism with realism: Maintaining a positive outlook while staying grounded in reality

Life-changing benefits of mental wellness

Having good mental health can positively impact every aspect of your life, boosting your happiness and overall well-being. Some of the benefits include:

• Lowering health risks: Reducing your chances of developing conditions like heart disease and high blood pressure
• Promoting better sleep: Supporting restful and restorative sleep that helps recharge your body and mind
• Enhancing productivity: Improving focus, decision-making skills, and overall efficiency
• Reducing mental health risks: Lowering the likelihood of developing conditions like anxiety and depression
• Increasing personal growth: Building self-esteem, confidence, and a stronger sense of self-worth
• Improving relationships: Enhancing communication and conflict-resolution skills, as well as learning to establish boundaries, which can lead to deeper connections
• Easing life’s challenges: Helping you feel less exhausted, worried, or overwhelmed and more in control
• Improving financial well-being: Helping you make better financial decisions and reduce impulsive spending driven by stress or emotions
• Boosting physical health: Encouraging healthy habits — like regular exercise and balanced nutrition — that support your mental and physical well-being

Good mental health doesn’t mean you’ll never face challenges or that every day will be perfect. Rather, it means you’re prepared to cope with the stresses of life and can establish and maintain constructive relationships.

Ways to build better mental health

Good mental health doesn’t happen overnight. Small, healthy habits can make a big difference over time. Here are a few ways to support your mental well-being:

• Manage stress levels. Practice deep breathing, mindfulness, journaling, or another activity that helps you relax.
• Make time for things you enjoy. Hobbies, creativity, and time outdoors can help improve your mood and reduce stress.
• Practice self-compassion. Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding that you would offer a friend.
• Set healthy boundaries. Protect your time and energy by saying no when you need to and making time for rest.
• Ask for help when you need it. If you’re experiencing challenges, talking with a trusted friend or mental health professional can help you feel supported and build healthy coping skills.

These habits won’t eliminate life’s challenges, but they can help you become more resilient and better prepared to handle stress when it comes.

Seeking support for better mental health

You don’t have to wait until you’re in a crisis to care for your mental health. Seeking support early is a sign of strength, not weakness. Taking small steps now can help you manage stress, build resilience, and improve your overall well-being.

A 2022 Cleveland Clinic survey found that taking a “bite-size” approach to mental health can make a big difference. By taking several short breaks throughout the day to do activities that reduce stress and anxiety, 46% of participants maintained or improved their mental and emotional health.

Ways to support your mental health include:

• Talking to someone you trust: Sharing your thoughts with a friend or family member can help you feel less alone.
• Practicing small acts of self-care: Even a short walk, a few minutes of deep breathing, or listening to music can help lower stress.
• Building healthy routines: Regular sleep, exercise, and balanced meals can have a positive impact on your mental health.
• Working with a mental health professional: A therapist can help you better understand your thoughts and emotions, build healthy coping skills, and work through life’s challenges before they become overwhelming.

Having good mental health can help you feel confident and capable of handling whatever life brings your way. It can lead to healthy relationships, stronger coping skills, and a greater sense of purpose. If you’re experiencing difficulty managing your mental health, know that therapy can help. With the right support, you can develop the skills for a stronger mental health foundation.

This story was produced by Rula and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.