Strategies for building good mental health

Strategies for Building Good Mental health

Building good mental health doesn't require making big changes all at once. Small, consistent actions can have a lasting impact on your well-being.

Engage in healthy habits

Your physical and mental health are closely connected. Taking care of your body provides the foundation for better mental well-being.

Focus on: 

• Getting enough quality sleep
• Eating nutritious foods
• Being physically active
• Taking breaks from screens
• Limiting alcohol and other substance use

For information on a variety of healthy living topics, consult the healthy living section of the website. 

Build resilience

Resiliencyis your ability to adapt to challenges and recover from setbacks. While stress is a normal part of life, developing healthy coping skills can help you navigate difficult situations more effectively.

Ways to build resilience include:

• Practicing problem-solving
• Focusing on what you can control
• Learning from challenges
• Asking for help when you need it

Building Your Resilience from the American Psychological Association is a resource that can help you build your resiliency. 

Practice healthy thinking

Your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours influence one another. Learning to recognize unhelpful thinking patterns and replace them with more balanced perspectives can improve your mood and reduce stress.

You can challenge unhelpful, dysfunctional thoughts using a technique called cognitive restructuring. The goal is to identify problematic thoughts, examine them, and then change (“restructure”) them into more helpful thoughts.

Free online resources include:

• a Cognitive Restructuring workbook from the UK National Health Service
• Living Life to the Full - both the 'for Adults' and the 'with Seasonal Affective Disorder' courses are free!
• a 7-part CBT-based self-help course from getselfhelp.co.uk

Stay connected

Positive and suuportive relationships are associated with better mental health. Having people in your life that care for you and that you care for increases your sense of belonging and self-worth. 

Make time to:

• Connect with friends and family
• Participate in campus activities
• Join clubs or student groups
• Reach out when you need support

Quality connections matter more than the number of people you know.

You can also join Homeroom at Concordia, a peer support program that helps you connect with other students, make new friends, navigate university life, and develop skills that support your academic success and well-being.

For information on building healthy relationships consult making good friends from Helpguide. The Friendship page at liveabout has articles on a wide variety of relationships issues.

Find meaning and balance

Making time for activities that give you a sense of purpose can improve your well-being.

This might include:

• Volunteering
• Spending time in nature
• Practicing mindfulness or meditation
• Exploring creative hobbies
• Connecting with your cultural or spiritual community

Remember that balance is important—it's okay to set boundaries and say no when you need to.

For information and a list of “Questions for Reflection” that can help you articulate your spirituality, consult “Get in touch with your spiritual side” from Action for Happiness. Here at Concordia, you can connect with the Multi-faith and Spirituality Centre.

One way to give of yourself is to volunteer. Identify volunteer opportunities that are suited to your interests, character, and availability. One resource is the Volunteer Bureau of Montreal.

Get help when you need it

There are many programs and services for mental health that can help you in times of need. To discover resources at Concordia and beyond, consult the mental health page of this website.

A helpful resource is 211. This “is an information and referral service that refers citizens towards community organizations, public and parapublic services and programs near them.” They have a phone line (dial 2-1-1) and a searchable directory of services.