How to Manage your Mental Well-Being

How to Manage Your Mental Well-Being

Your degree of mental well-being is intimately linked to your self-image.

Your self-image is the sum of all the thoughts, feelings and beliefs about:

1. Who you really are,
2. What you are capable of,
3. What you are NOT capable of, and
4. Where you fit in the scheme of things.

Those who have a high degree of mental health, have a strong self-image:

1. They know who they are.
2. They believe themselves to be capable.
3. They believe they are worthy.
4. They believe they can achieve any goal they set for themselves.

People with a low degree of mental health have a weak self-image:

1. They don't think much of themselves,
2. They have low levels of self-esteem.
3. They believe themselves to be inherently incapable.
4. They think they belong at the bottom of the social hierarchy.

We all make mistakes. But how does that mistake affect the person who made it?

People with mental health issues tend to attach the following characteristics to that mistake:

1. Permanence: means that the mistake has durability and stability and will be there forever.
2. Pervasiveness: means the mistake implies other, associated errors and weaknesses.
3. Personality: means the mistake reveals a personality flaw.

On the other hand, people with good mental well-being do NOT associate these characteristics to the mistake. Good mental health means any mistake you make is:

1. NOT permanent.
2. NOT pervasive.
3. NOT a reflection on your personality. The mistake was "just a blip" and not a true representation of "the real you".

For example, imagine you make a mistake in your maths exam. You might say to yourself: "I made a mistake in my maths exam, that is because:

• I never have and I never will, understand maths. (permanence)
• I am useless at anything intellectual. (pervasive)
• I am stupid. (personality flaw)."

If a person with good mental well-being makes the same mistake in the same exam, he/she would say:

• I need to change this situation. (NOT permanent)
• I will work on my weak point, which is trigonometry. (NOT pervasive)
• I am smart enough to pass this exam, once I crack trigonometry. ( NOT personality).

Regarding other people, when someone else does something to offend you, be sure that you don't make the issue:

• Permanent
• Pervasive and/or
• Evidence of a personality flaw.

Instead, treat their behaviour as:

• Temporary
• Limited
• Not a true expression of their personality, (a blip).

That way you will find it easier to forgive them and get back onto a normal footing.

"To be wronged is nothing, unless you continue to remember it." Confucius

Definition: self-image

Self-image is the picture you hold in your mind about who you are. It blends your thoughts, feelings and beliefs about your identity, what you can and cannot do, how worthy you feel and where you fit with others. This inner picture steers your mood and actions each day, and you can improve it by challenging unhelpful ideas.

Article Summary

A healthy mind starts with a strong self-image: see each error as a brief slip, not proof of a deep flaw; replace permanence, pervasiveness and personality with action, learning and grace to grow mental well-being.

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About the Author: Chris Farmer

Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.

Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.

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Further Reading in Mental Health

• External Factors Which Impact Our Mental Wellbeing
  Learn how beliefs, self-esteem, friends, body health, habits and rational thinking interact to improve mental wellbeing, with tips to guide each area daily.
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• How to Manage Your Mental Well-Being
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• Mental Health Awareness for Managers
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• How To Improve Mental Wellbeing During Lockdown
  Learn practical steps to protect mental wellbeing during lockdown: connect online, cut negative voices, and turn isolation into growth. Expert UK advice.
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• Managing Emotions to Improve Your Mental Health
  Learn to manage emotions using question-led thinking that swaps negative self-talk for solution focus, lifts mood and drives lasting mental health improvement.
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