3 Overlooked Ways To Boost Mental Health

overlooked ways to boost mental health

“Mental health… is not a destination but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you’re going.” — Noam Shpancer

Key Points

People too often ignore the "health" part of mental health, and holistic approaches to supporting it.
One's mental health can benefit from seeking out diverse novel experiences and embracing uncertainty and impermanence.
Research finds that simply talking and listening to others also delivers real mental-health benefits.

Mental health practitioners have helped many people heal and grow from a range of emotional conflicts that can harm their relationships, work, and overall lives. But where we’ve been less effective in helping people know what the “health” part of mental health really is, and what helps build it.

That is, what lies beyond healing early traumas and learning to manage and cope with their residue in adult life; and beyond learning how to engage in more productive, functioning relationships. All of that is important.

But we need a broader vision of mental health: a picture of continuous growth and expansion of your whole being—your mental, emotional, creative, and spiritual needs and capacities.

You’re a bio-psycho-social-spiritual entity, within your societal and cultural matrix. Every one of those facets of your being impacts every other. A simple example: We know that the microbiomes in your gut directly influence your mind and emotions, your longevity potential, and the health of your physical infrastructure. The same can be said for each other “part” of your being: “Mental” health is better understood as “whole-being” health.

Increasingly, empirical studies reveal overlooked approaches that can fuel and energize your whole-being health, when viewed from a broader, more integrated perspective.

But they are different from learning new “behaviors” or “techniques” to use in your relationships or in pursuit of goals. And they lie beyond managing and coping with the residue of old conflicts. Here are three worth considering—and practicing.

Related: 15 Simple Ways You Can Boost Your Emotional Health

3 Overlooked Ways To Boost Mental Health

1. Seek New And Diverse Experiences

A study published in Psychological Review found that an important but overlooked dimension of well-being is seeking out new life experiences, especially ones that may emerge unexpectedly—those marked by novelty or complexity, and that may require a change of perspective. It might be learning something new; participating in an activity beyond your zone of familiarity, or perhaps traveling somewhere you’ve never been.

One implication of this research: When you consciously seek out and open yourself to new experiences, you stimulate growth and expansion of multiple facets of your being. It filters into all dimensions of yourself. For example, it can alter some of your personality traits; your emotional attitudes; and how you treat your body. Overall, the new experiences contribute to the feeling, “This is why life is worth living.”

These findings highlight a link with feeling grateful for just being alive. Gratitude in this sense is deeper than feeling grateful for all you’ve achieved or acquired in your external, material life. Rather, it’s inner life awareness of your continuous connection with life in all its forms; an awakening of being part of a continuous whole, from the beginning of time.

Embracing new experiences and gratitude for your existence, at this moment, lifts you from conflicts or disappointments you might be experiencing. That expanded perspective is part of whole-being health.

gratitude and mental health

2. Embrace The Anxiety Of Uncertainty…And Life’s Impermanence

Research highlights turning fear into positive energy for growth. A study published in the journal Emotion reveals the overlooked positive impact of experiencing uncertainty in your daily life—and we all experience uncertainty at various times.

This finding contrasts with assuming that uncertainty is necessarily stressful and can harm your health. Of course, there’s evidence that it can.

Further, this new research found that tolerating, and even embracing, the unpredictable nature of life stimulates a greater appreciation for simply being alive; for enjoying what is, in this moment of time. As we’ve learned during the pandemic, that time may indeed be brief and end without notice.

The researchers found that savoring the “small things” in life pulls you out of immersion in daily ups and downs, the fears and worries about things that you’re trying to control—and inevitably are unable to. That understanding adds to a healthy, whole-person recognition of just how impermanent things are. It helps you appreciate this moment that you occupy, in your brief lifetime.

Your entire being—that integrated entity of mind, emotions, spirit, and physical structure—then grows and expands. And that expansion helps free you from blind adherence to your social conditioning—the beliefs and life goals shaped by your social, cultural, and ethnic milieu that can impede the growth of your whole being.

Related: 6 Things You Can Do To Reduce Mental Stress

3. Talking And Listening To Others

Another overlooked way to grow the “health” part of mental health sounds simple, but research finds it has particular benefit for your essential cognitive and mental capacities as you age: engaging in small talk with people and listening to them in return. It might be an encounter with a grocery-store clerk or passing the time for a few moments with a neighbor. 

This study of over 1,800 participants found that, according to co-author Nicholas Epley, “connecting with others in meaningful ways tends to make people happier,” and that connecting with others in deep and meaningful ways increased well-being. That, in turn, contributes to the realm of your whole-person mental health. The study, from the University of Chicago, was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Similarly, an NYU study published in JAMA Network Open found that engaging with people on whom you can count to simply listen to you when you need to talk and connect with others is associated with greater cognitive resilience as you age; it’s a buffer to the effects of brain aging and disease.

And new findings from Georgetown University reveal that age does not automatically lead to declining mental abilities. Contrary to prevailing thinking, this large-scale research found that those capacities—especially the ability to focus and orient yourself to whatever you’re engaging with—actually improve with age, as you use them.

These findings add to evidence of the interconnectedness of all dimensions of your being, as your healthy cognitive capacities stimulate the other facets of yourself.

All of these findings underscore the overall mental health implications of engaging fully with life—appreciating it within this brief moment of time we occupy—and staying mindful of how transitory and impermanent everything is.

Douglas LaBier can be contacted via his website labier.com or email douglas@labier.com.


Written By Douglas LaBier 
Originally Appeared On Psychology Today 
overlooked ways to boost mental health pinex
overlooked ways to boost mental health pin

— About the Author —

Leave a Reply



Up Next

6 Benefits Of Walking: Why It’s One Of The Best Things You Can Do For Your Mental Health

Brilliant Benefits Of Walking For Your Mental Health

Walking is so underrated when it comes to ensuring mental well-being. There are so many powerful benefits of walking that can do wonders for our mental and emotional health. This article is going to talk about some of the best mental health benefits of walking.

Boost your mood, energy level, confidence, and more simply by getting your steps in.

Taking a brisk walk is a great way to clear your head, calm your mood, and keep you healthy. It may seem simple, but walking can have a powerful effect on your mental health, and the good news is that it’s free.



Up Next

Waking Up Feeling Anxious In The Morning? How To Deal With Morning Anxiety

Morning Anxiety: How To Deal With Anxiety After Waking Up

Do you experience anxiety after waking up in the morning? A terrible anxiety in the morning you just don’t know how to deal with it? Well, you’ve come to the right place. This article is going to talk about morning anxiety and how to deal with morning anxiety, so that your mornings feel more relaxed, calm and peaceful.

If you commonly wake up in the morning filled with anxiety, you are not alone. Many people wake up with fight-or-flight sensations and feel baffled as to how they can already feel anxious when their feet haven’t even touched the floor yet.

A variety of factors can play a part in morning anxiety: excess stress,



Up Next

Plant Parenthood 101: How Caring For Plants Can Nourish Your Mental Health 

Ways Plant Parenthood Can Boost Your Mental Health

Have you ever wondered why so many people are embracing plant parenthood? It seems like everywhere you turn, there’s someone proudly displaying their thriving indoor jungle or posting pictures of their leafy companions on social media. 

But this trend is more than just a passing fad; it’s a movement that promotes not only the well-being of plants but also the mental health of humans. 

Let us explore the concept of plant parenthood, why caring for plants is important for both plants and humans, and learn how do plants help mental health.

What is Plant Parenthood?

Plant parenthood is the act of nurturing and caring for houseplants as if they were our o



Up Next

7 Emotions You May Feel When You Decide To Divorce

When You Decide To Divorce: Unexpected Emotions You Feel

Making the decision to divorce is one of the hardest decisions to make. When you decide to divorce your spouse, you may feel a ton of emotions that you did not expect at all. This article is going to talk about those feelings and emotions so that if ever you make the decision to divorce, you know what to expect.

KEY POINTS

The decision to divorce is a personal and deeply emotional experience.

There is a common misperception that the person who decides to divorce doesn’t suffer from the decision.

The emotional journey is unique to each individual, and there are no right or wrong ways to feel.



Up Next

30+ Truths About Diet Culture, Eating Disorders, And The Process of Healing

Honest Truths About Diet Culture And Eating Disorders

Diet culture impacts so many people all over the world, and unfortunately, much of it’s impact is negative and harmful. If you are struggling with an eating disorder, then you’ve come to the right place. These truths about diet culture will help you understand it’s repercussions, and motivate you to live your life in a much healthier way.

If you are struggling with food or an eating disorder, these helpful points may offer you the nudge you need to change your relationship with food.

Related: Diving into Diet Culture Definition: 5 Startli



Up Next

Binge Eating Or Comfort Eating? 5 Ways For Comfort Eating To Stay Comfortable

Binge Eating Or Comfort Eating? Solutions To Curb Bingeing

Have you ever demolished an entire pint of ice cream after having a horrendously bad day? Was this binge eating or comfort eating? This article is going to discuss about both, talk about the differences between the two, and how you can stop yourself from binge eating often.

I have two distinct memories that involve eating. One horrified me, the other brought a sense of being understood.

Like most others living in a dorm, I had a small fridge in my little room in college. I was beginning to develop anorexia and was eating less and less, while receiving all kinds of accolades for becoming thin – which of course, egged on my disorder.



Up Next

13 Ways To Quiet A Worried Mind

Ways To Quiet A Worried Mind

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, it’s easy for our minds to be overloaded with worrisome thoughts. So, how to deal with anxious thoughts? Here are 13 effective ways to quiet a worried mind, offering you the serenity and clarity you need to navigate life’s challenges with ease.

Our minds are basically recorders that play (and replay) their soundtracks all day long, sometimes all night long too. Some people have recordings that tend to be more pleasant and present. Some people’s thinking patterns lean towards the optimistic or realistic side.

Others, not so much. Many people are plagued with worrisome thoughts that lead them to feel chronically stressed, anxious, dep