When going about our daily lives thoughts pop in and out our consciousness. During the last 3 years since I started writing regular posts my mind seems to be constantly searching for post topics. Unfortunately I cannot write as quickly as my mind can think! Consequently I have some partially completed posts.

Fortunately my mind has provided a solution. Write about 2 topics in one Post! I hope you approve.

Today I am writing about ‘self-respect’ and ‘energy’. Now don’t go looking for a link between the 2; as far as I am aware there isn’t one!

SELF-RESPECT

We talk a lot about self-esteem and self-compassion and they are undoubtedly important mental health factors. But perhaps respect particularly self-respect is even more vital in building better mental health.

A lot has been written about self-respect and that means I have been reading a great deal about it! But what is it and why is it important? 

An easy definition is to look at self-respect as acceptance of yourself as a whole person. It doesn’t mean you are perfect; in fact we all deserve respect even though we are not perfect. You have worth and value just because you’re you. 

You take time to look after your body and mind. Self-respect can be viewed as loving yourself and treating yourself with care. Colleen Doyle Bryant has written ‘Rooted in Decency’, she lists the following examples that build self-respect:

- Earning our success honestly without harming others.

- Calming ourselves and speaking to someone with care even when we are angry.

- Persevering to achieve a challenging goal, even when we want to quit.

- Owning up to our mistakes and trying to make them right. 

ENERGY

When we are younger it seems our levels of personal energy are unlimited. You probably spent interminable hours playing, running etc. As we enter adulthood these levels decrease but were not greatly noticeable.

As we approach the later part of our lives the reduction in energy availability becomes more apparent. I think those with poor mental health are more aware of this. In fact some poor mental health symptoms are known to decrease our energy levels.

Our brains are very demanding of energy and our mental energy levels can dip to low amounts that make us feel unwell. We need to manage our mental energy levels and there is plenty of advice about maintaining them, such as:

1 Take a break: Have a mental health break by doing something else for a few minutes or even a short meditation.

2 Stay Active: Physical activity can improve mental and physical energy levels. 

3 Practice self-care: Take a few moments of intentional self-care out of your normal routine. For example, a hot bath or reading a book.

4 Clear your space of clutter: Too much clutter can increase mental stress. Tidy important areas particularly around your working spaces.

5 Write down your thoughts: This can also help if your mind is feeling stressed.

6 Prioritize effectively: Focus on one thing at a time. That is, practice single tasking.

7 Link with supportive people: Some people can increase you mental energy by just being in contact - there are loads on Moodscope

So to summarise: Self-respect your mental energy.

Teg

A Moodscope member