Something I highly encourage everyone to do on a regular basis is to “check in” with themselves, and if they feel comfortable with it, to check in with a loved one or close friend who really knows you.

When you check in with yourself, look at the things you are spending most of your free time on. Ask yourself, “Are the things you are spending most of your time really helping you or are those things actually hurting you by bringing you down?” Also, “What things do you miss doing right now? Is there a way to incorporate that activity, or something like it into your daily routine?”

Having a pen and a pad of paper nearby is a great way to dig deeper into your thoughts and for some people it provides a way of processing that they might not be able to verbalize. Writing out your answers forces you to think about things differently than something you might say out loud. Sometimes it is easier to write out the truth rather than speaking it out loud.

For me, I feel like sometimes I do things or get into habits that I don’t even realize I am doing. Taking a moment to pause and reflect gives you space to see things in your life and around your life more objectively. If you feel like you cannot do that with some questions, ask that trusted friend for an objective perspective. This friend should be someone you feel completely open to sharing everything with that is going on in your life and someone who is willing to be honest with you, someone who you respect their opinion and what they have to say.

Lastly, I have counseling or therapy to also be a very helpful and productive use of my time and money to ensure that I am doing well in the area of mental health. These professionals are trained to notice things about you that you would never be aware of otherwise. If you trust the therapist, that they have your best interest at your heart, there is much to be gained from weekly, monthly, quarterly visits doing exercises like what I have recommended above.