6 Healthy Habits That Make You Mentally Strong

Summary

This video emphasizes the importance of cultivating mental health habits alongside physical ones. It introduces six habits that foster mental strength: controlling emotions, questioning thoughts, maintaining healthy boundaries, learning from mistakes, limiting social media use, and taking time for self-care. The script also promotes Yale University's 'Science of Wellbeing' course, highlighting its benefits for enhancing happiness and productivity.

Takeaways

• 💪 Mental health is as important as physical health and can influence each other.
• 🧠 Being in control of your emotions, not letting them control you, is a sign of mental strength.
• 🤔 Questioning your thoughts and beliefs helps you to challenge yourself and discern truth from misinformation.
• 📚 Yale University offers an online course, 'The Science of Wellbeing', to learn about happiness and increase personal well-being.
• 🚫 Establishing healthy boundaries is crucial for mental strength and self-esteem.
• 🔄 Actively learning from mistakes and making plans for improvement contributes to mental resilience.
• 🚫 Limiting social media use can prevent feelings of inadequacy and reduce the risk of depression.
• 🕒 Taking time for yourself is essential for mental health; it allows the brain to restore attention and motivation.
• 📉 Overcommitting to tasks without rest can negatively impact mental health and productivity.
• 🌟 Practicing these habits can lead to a mentally stronger and happier you.
• 🎓 Coursera sponsors the video and offers a Yale University course for viewers interested in psychological well-being.

Q & A

What are the key aspects of creating healthy habits for mental health as mentioned in the script?

The script emphasizes six key habits for mental health: being in control of your emotions, questioning thoughts and beliefs, having healthy boundaries, actively learning from mistakes, limiting time on social media, and taking time for oneself.

How does controlling one's emotions contribute to mental strength?

Controlling emotions means not letting negative feelings take over, allowing for calm processing and working through these emotions, which contributes to mental strength by enabling clear-headed responses to situations.

Why is questioning thoughts and beliefs important for mental strength?

Questioning thoughts and beliefs is important because it challenges oneself to critically think about the information received, preventing blind acceptance of everything as truth, and promoting a deeper understanding of different perspectives.

What is the 'Science of Wellbeing' course offered by Yale University, and what does it aim to provide?

The 'Science of Wellbeing' is an online course offered by Yale University that aims to reveal misconceptions about happiness and provides tips for increasing happiness, such as savoring everyday experiences and practicing random acts of kindness.

What role do healthy boundaries play in maintaining mental strength?

Healthy boundaries are crucial for mental strength as they set limits on how others treat you, allowing you to be your best self without draining your mental and physical energy by always being available to others.

How does learning from mistakes contribute to mental strength?

Learning from mistakes contributes to mental strength by showing a willingness to grow and improve, reducing the stress of dwelling on past errors, and preparing for better outcomes in the future.

What are the potential negative effects of excessive social media use on mental health?

Excessive social media use can lead to harmful comparison with others, feelings of inadequacy, and symptoms of depression, as it often presents an unrealistically perfect view of others' lives.

Why is taking time for oneself important for mental health?

Taking time for oneself is important for mental health as it allows the brain to restore attention and motivation, promotes creativity and strengthens memory, ultimately leading to increased productivity and mental well-being.

What is the significance of the Coursera sponsorship mentioned in the script?

The Coursera sponsorship is significant as it supports the production of the video content and offers a Yale University course to the viewers, enhancing their access to educational resources.

How does the script suggest one can increase their level of happiness?

The script suggests increasing happiness by savoring everyday experiences, practicing random acts of kindness, and considering the insights provided in the 'Science of Wellbeing' course.

What is the script's stance on the balance between productivity and self-care?

The script advocates for a balance between productivity and self-care, emphasizing that while it's good to be productive, it's equally important to recharge and rest the mind to maintain mental health.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Developing Mental Strength Through Emotional Control

The first paragraph emphasizes the importance of mental health and introduces six habits that contribute to mental strength. It highlights the significance of managing one's emotions, using examples of common emotional triggers like arguments or criticism. The paragraph suggests that acknowledging negative emotions without letting them control one's actions is a sign of mental strength, and it encourages viewers to process these emotions calmly to maintain a clear head in various situations.

05:02

🤔 Questioning Thoughts for Mental Fortitude

This paragraph delves into the second habit of mental strength: questioning one's thoughts and beliefs. It discusses the challenges of discerning truth from falsehood in the information age and the tendency to accept information uncritically. The text encourages viewers to think critically about the information they consume, whether from family, news, or social media, to gain deeper understanding and control over how it influences them. It also briefly mentions an online course from Yale University called 'The Science of Wellbeing,' which promises to debunk happiness misconceptions and offer practical advice for increasing personal joy and productivity.

🚫 Establishing Healthy Boundaries for Mental Wellbeing

The third paragraph focuses on the importance of setting healthy boundaries as a habit for mental strength. It questions whether the viewer allows others to take advantage of their kindness and suggests that boundaries are a reflection of self-esteem. The text references an article from Psych Central to support the idea that boundaries communicate how one expects to be treated and protect against unnecessary stress. It warns against the dangers of always being available to others, which can lead to mental and physical exhaustion, and emphasizes the need for self-preservation to maintain mental strength.

📚 Learning from Mistakes Fosters Mental Resilience

In the fourth paragraph, the theme is learning from mistakes as a means to build mental strength. It acknowledges common regrets such as saying hurtful things in anger or receiving lower grades than expected. The text advises against dwelling on past errors and instead encourages reflection to understand and improve. This approach to past mistakes is portrayed as a sign of growth and a path to becoming mentally stronger.

🚫 Limiting Social Media to Avoid Comparison and Depression

The fifth paragraph addresses the impact of social media on mental health, noting the potential for comparison and feelings of inadequacy that can stem from the curated content we see online. It references a study linking social media use to symptoms of depression and suggests that limiting time spent on these platforms can help avoid the negative effects of social comparison. The paragraph recommends setting boundaries on social media usage to maintain mental strength.

🧘 Taking Time for Self-Care to Enhance Mental Health

The final paragraph of the script discusses the importance of self-care for mental health. It acknowledges the demands of daily life and the pressure to be constantly productive, but warns that neglecting downtime can be detrimental to mental well-being. Citing Psych Central, the text explains that restorative breaks can improve attention, motivation, creativity, and memory, ultimately increasing productivity. The paragraph encourages viewers to make time for activities that recharge the mind, such as walking, reading, or relaxing, and invites them to share their experiences with these habits in the comments.

Keywords

💡Mental Health

Mental health refers to a person's psychological and emotional well-being. It is integral to overall health, as it affects how individuals think, feel, and act. In the video, mental health is emphasized as equally important as physical health, with the theme focusing on habits that contribute to a healthy mind, such as managing emotions and setting boundaries.

💡Emotional Control

Emotional control is the ability to manage and respond to one's emotions effectively. It is a key aspect of mental strength, as showcased in the script where it is mentioned that not allowing negative emotions to take control is a sign of mental fortitude. For instance, choosing to stay calm during an argument is an example of emotional control.

💡Critical Thinking

Critical thinking involves questioning and analyzing information to form a reasoned judgment. The video encourages viewers to critically assess their thoughts and beliefs, which is crucial for mental strength as it helps in discerning truth from falsehood. The script mentions the importance of not blindly accepting information and the value of digging deeper to understand different perspectives.

💡Boundaries

Boundaries are limits that a person sets for themselves in relationships to maintain self-respect and self-care. The script discusses the importance of having healthy boundaries to prevent being taken advantage of and to protect one's mental well-being. It suggests that boundaries are a reflection of self-esteem and are crucial for mental strength.

💡Mistakes

Mistakes are errors or faults made in action or judgment. The video script highlights the value of learning from mistakes as a habit of mentally strong individuals. It suggests that reflecting on why a mistake occurred and planning for improvement is a way to grow and become mentally stronger.

💡Social Media

Social media refers to platforms that allow users to create and share content or participate in social networking. The script warns of the potential negative impacts of excessive social media use, such as feelings of inadequacy and envy, and suggests limiting time spent on these platforms to foster mental strength.

💡Self-Care

Self-care is the practice of taking actions to preserve or improve one's own health and well-being. The video emphasizes the importance of taking time for oneself to recharge, which is a form of self-care. It is presented as essential for maintaining mental health and promoting productivity.

💡Happiness

Happiness is a state of well-being and contentment. The script mentions an online course from Yale University that aims to increase happiness by debunking misconceptions and providing tips, such as savoring everyday experiences and practicing kindness, which are related to the theme of enhancing mental health.

💡Productivity

Productivity refers to the efficiency of productive activity in relation to the input used. While the script acknowledges the value of being productive, it also cautions against overworking and emphasizes the need for downtime to restore attention and motivation, which in turn can enhance productivity.

💡Downtime

Downtime is a period of rest or inactivity, especially from work. The video script explains that downtime is essential for the brain to restore attention and motivation, promoting creativity and strengthening memory. It positions downtime as a key component of maintaining mental health.

💡Mental Strength

Mental strength is the ability to withstand challenges, setbacks, and adversity without breaking down. The video's theme revolves around habits that contribute to mental strength, such as emotional control, critical thinking, and setting boundaries. It illustrates various ways in which individuals can develop mental resilience.

Highlights

Creating healthy habits for mental health is as important as for physical health.

Six surprising habits can make you mentally strong.

Being in control of your emotions is a sign of mental strength.

Acknowledging and processing negative emotions helps maintain a clear head.

Questioning thoughts and beliefs is key to mental strength.

Critical thinking helps navigate the overwhelming amount of information available online.

Yale University offers an online course on the science of wellbeing.

The science of wellbeing course can increase happiness and productivity.

Healthy boundaries are crucial for mental strength and self-esteem.

Setting boundaries prevents mental and physical energy drain.

Learning from mistakes is a habit of mentally strong individuals.

Limiting social media use can prevent harmful comparison and improve mental health.

Social media can lead to feelings of inadequacy and envy.

Taking time for yourself is essential for mental health and productivity.

Downtime allows the brain to restore attention and motivation.

Psych Central suggests that rest promotes creativity and strengthens memory.

Encourages viewers to share their thoughts on the habits discussed.

Coursera sponsors the video and offers a Yale University course to viewers.

Transcripts

- [Instructor] Hey Psych2Goers, welcome back.

Thank you for being here.

When you think of the phrase creating healthy habits

for yourself, you probably think of eating healthy,

exercising, and getting to bed on time.

These are all great things to do for your physical health,

but what about creating healthy habits

for your mental health?

Keeping a healthy mind is just as important

as keeping a healthy body, because one can easily

influence the other.

If you wanna know more about good mental health habits,

here are six surprising habits

that make you mentally strong.

Number one, you are in control of your emotions.

Did a recent argument with a friend leave you feeling hurt

or upset 'cause of what they said?

Have your parents ever told you that you need

to do a better job on your chores

when you thought you were doing a good job already?

In both of these situations, it's understandable

that you may feel upset, anxious, annoyed,

or even outright angry.

And that's okay.

Feeling these kinds of emotions doesn't make you weak,

it's perfectly normal.

It's when you don't allow those negative emotions

to take control of you, that makes you mentally strong.

For example, while arguing with your friend,

you didn't take your anger out on them

and chose to keep calm even though you were upset

at the time.

Or maybe when you're sad, you don't let that heaviness

drag you down and keep you from moving forward.

You try to move past your emotional hurdles.

You recognize these negative emotions

and choose to acknowledge them.

In doing so, you're able to calmly process them

and work through them leaving you with the ability

to respond to most situations with a clear head.

Number two, you question your thoughts and beliefs.

How does questioning thoughts and beliefs

make you mentally strong though?

When you think critically about your thoughts and beliefs

you're challenging yourself.

With the internet at our fingertips

there's so much information to take in and explore.

This can be overwhelming when you're trying to keep up

with what's true and what's lies, or what's just a rumor.

It can be really easy to blindly accept everything you hear

as truth.

Mentally strong people make a habit of questioning

or thinking critically about things they come across.

Whether it's something a close family member told them

or a news article they saw.

Questioning things that you read or hear gives you a reason

to dig deeper allowing you to learn more

and gives you the opportunity to learn about

different people's perspectives.

By doing this, it gives you control

over how the information affects you.

Have you ever wanted to increase

your own level of happiness?

And would you like to do something in particular

to help raise your joy and wellbeing?

Or maybe you've always wanted to experience

an Ivy League education without the commitment.

Yale University is offering an online course

called the science of wellbeing, where Dr. Santos

reveals certain misconceptions about happiness

and recommends tips for increasing happiness

such as savoring our everyday experiences

and appreciating them while they happen

as well as encouraging random acts of kindness.

These are all just small snippets

of what the course has to offer.

If you like the tips from this video

and wanna learn more about how to increase

your own wellbeing and productivity

then you should check out the science of wellbeing.

We also mentioned that over 3 million people have enrolled

and it's the online equivalent

to their most popular on-campus course.

The course is completely online, self-paced,

and the best part yet, you can earn a certificate

from Yale upon completion.

So make sure you click the description box below

to check out the course.

Number three, you have healthy boundaries

in place for yourself.

Do you feel like a doormat for people to walk all over?

Do you drop everything you're doing to help out a friend

or family member when they need a favor?

Creating healthy boundaries for the people in your life

is a good habit for mental strength.

According to an article from Psych Central

boundaries are a measure of your self-esteem.

When you create healthy boundaries

you're letting others know how to treat you

while allowing you to be your best self.

When you don't have boundaries it's easier to always say,

yes to people.

You let your friends frequently vent

all of their problems to you,

or you let that one friend poke fun at you a little too much

while wanting to be there for others

and help them isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Always being available at everyone's back in call

can put unneeded stress on you.

You can't pour out of an empty cup.

By not setting healthy boundaries there's a good chance

that eventually your cup will run out.

To stay mentally strong it's important to create boundaries

with those around you, so that you don't drain yourself

of all of your mental and physical energy.

Number four, you actively learn from your mistakes.

Have you ever said something that wasn't nice

born out of anger, or frustration?

Or have you gotten a lower grade on a test

than what you were expecting?

You might dwell on situations where you weren't acting

your best and focus on them.

Obsessing over things you've done in the past

only adds more stress to your plate.

When you start to think about what happened

figure out why it happened

and make a plan for how to improve on it next time.

This will make you mentally stronger

because it shows that you're choosing to grow

and learn from past mistakes.

Number five, you limit your time on social media.

How many hours do you spend on social media a day?

Social media is a huge part of our society

and our daily lives.

It can be a great way to connect with friends and family

and is filled with endless memes and cute cat pictures.

But there can be risks to scrolling through Instagram.

Apps like Facebook and Instagram

make it easy to compare your life to others.

Those glossy filtered photos

and the posts about their happy lives

can make it look like the grass is greener on their side.

And an unhealthy game of comparison can start in your heart.

According to a study, how long do use of social media sites

and apps, maybe linked to symptoms of depression?

When exposed to all of that social media,

you can start to think you aren't good enough

or be envious of the things you see people doing online.

Limiting your use of social media

can help you avoid this harmful comparison game

whether you give yourself an allotted amount of time

to check social media each day, or you only check at night,

or in the morning.

Limiting your time on social media

can help make you mentally strong.

And number six, taking time for yourself.

Do you have long days at school or at work?

Do you often choose to do more work

than what is asked of you?

Are you constantly on the go and feel like

you have to be doing something to stay productive.

Going above and beyond and keeping up on productive tasks

is great.

But if you don't pay time for yourself to recharge

your mental health can take a hit.

According to an article from Psych Central

downtime allows your brain to restore attention

and motivation.

It promotes creativity, strengthens memory,

and can even make you more productive in the long run.

When you take a little time out of your busy day

to go for a walk, read a book, or even just lay on the couch

and watch your favorite TV show.

You're allowing your mind to take a break and recharge.

Just like you sometimes need a nap after lunch

to boost your physical energy

your mind needs rest too.

Do you practice any of these habits to stay mentally strong?

If so, have they helped you?

Or do you know someone who could benefit from these habits?

Let us know in the comments below,

we'd love to know your thoughts.

A huge shout out to Coursera for sponsoring this video

and offering a Yale University course to our viewers.

Don't forget to hit the subscribe button

for more Psych2Go videos.

Thank you for watching and we'll see you next time.