Winston Churchill once said, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” I believe the statement is very true. I have seen people destroyed by relatively small adversities all because they allowed their circumstance to negatively impact their mental health and well being. On the other hand, I have watched others, like Christopher Reeve (aka Superman) being paralyzed, face what seems to be a serious life altering tragedy not only survive but flourish.

I believe that a good attitude, and by attitude, I mean positive mental health and well being is largely responsible for whether something will destroy us, or we will flourish.

 
In this post, I want to give strategies for maintaining positive mental health and well being.

 
Look after your body – I understand for someone with Rheumatoid Arthritis or another chronic illness, this may be more difficult and may mean different things to different people. I am saying, eat well, get the proper rest, drink suitable amounts of water, exercise appropriately and look after your body as best as you can. By taking care of our bodies, we provide a basis for taking care of our minds.

Stimulate your mind – Our mind is much like a muscle. It needs to be stimulated and used, or it becomes weak, tired and unhealthy. Look to explore and discover new things to help keep your mind fresh and strong. It will also help to foster a sense of excitement and wellbeing as you learn, discover and accomplish new things. Suggestions for this include reading new books, visiting museums or art galleries, taking up a musical instrument or learning a new language.

Help Others – It is extremely easy, when living with an illness, to become self absorbed in our circumstances and difficulties. I have found that helping others has not only benefited those I help, but also has helped me. Helping others lifts our spirits, raises our confidence by causing us to feel good about ourselves, and causes us to feel needed and valuable. You may not be able to volunteer and coach a sports team, but what about visiting seniors, helping a charity with making phone calls, serving meals at a soup kitchen or just sitting and listening to someone having a lousy day.

 
Get some R&R – By that I mean just take some time to relax and play. When was the last time you took time for yourself and did something you love to do? Playing allows stress to be released and helps us feel better. Find something you enjoy and take the time to do it. Find a hobby or craft that excites you and let that fuel a passion for fun and life.