Self-Care Practices That Actually Help

Real Ways to Support Your Mental Health and Recovery 

3 Minute Read

Why Mental Health Deserves Real Care — Every Single Day

Mental health isn’t just about whether or not you have a diagnosis. It shapes how you think, feel, show up in your life, and connect with people you care about. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or trying to rebuild your sense of balance, taking small steps toward self-care can really make a difference (and it doesn’t have to cost a thing.)

If you’re reading this, you’re probably ready to start caring for yourself in a new way. Below, you’ll find real tools, ideas, and healthy actions you can try today, tomorrow, and whenever you need to remind yourself that you matter, too.

Healthy Steps to Take (Starting Now)

Work Toward Goals — Big or Small

Setting goals helps you look forward instead of backward. When you have something meaningful you’re working toward, even if it’s small in the grand scheme of things, it can help you focus on your strengths and feel more hopeful about the future.

Here’s how to start:

• Pick one thing that feels doable today – maybe it’s going for a short walk or making a healthy meal.
• Write down bigger goals too, like a career change, a creative project, or learning a new skill.
• Break down big goals into bite-sized steps and give yourself deadlines if that helps you stay on track.
• Celebrate every win – finishing a step counts!

You can even keep a journal or scrapbook with notes, photos, or clippings that remind you why you started and how far you’ve come.

Remember: it’s not about perfection. Recovery is an ongoing process, and your goals can grow and change right along with you.

Care for Your Whole Self — Body, Mind, and Spirit

When you’re healing your mind, don’t forget your body and spirit come along for the ride. When one part is cared for, the others benefit too.

Try adding a few of these to your daily life:

• Eat well, sleep enough, move your body, and steer clear of drugs and too much alcohol.
• Keep up with basic hygiene. It lifts your confidence and supports your health.
• Make time for people you care about. If you don’t feel like you have “your people” yet, look for support groups or local meetups.
• Do something that makes you smile. Music, cooking, gardening, painting, reading, or watching a favorite show all count.
• Schedule moments to relax. Stretch, breathe, take a bath, or walk in nature.

Build Strong Connections

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone.
We all need other people — it’s just how we’re wired. Strong connections can boost your mood, help you cope, and even help you live longer.

Start here:

• Check in with yourself. How are you really feeling? If you can, write it down. Be honest. It’s okay to say you’re struggling. If you ever feel lost, looking back at your own words can remind you how strong you really are.
• Stay connected to others. Spend time with people who make you feel seen and safe. That might be family, friends, a support group, or a local drop-in center.
• Get involved in your community. When you join something bigger than yourself — a walking group, book club, hiking crew, volunteer project — you feel less alone.

Tip: Volunteering can be especially meaningful if you pick something that lights you up. Think about what you love to do — reading, teaching, fixing things, gardening, coaching kids, helping neighbors.

Create Joy and Satisfaction

It’s easy to forget this, but small moments of joy matter so much. Feeling good can help you cope, solve problems, think creatively (and even keep you healthier.)

• Do something you loved as a kid. Blow bubbles, color with crayons, run through a sprinkler.
• Try something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t yet. Bake something fancy, learn to knit, build a birdhouse, take a dance class.
• Laugh on purpose. Watch your favorite funny show, read comics, or listen to a goofy podcast.
• Take a nature break. Stand in the sun, walk by the water, look at the trees. Even a few minutes makes a difference. 

Calm Your Mind With Meditation and Breathwork

Meditation isn’t about emptying your brain, it’s about giving your mind a break. Even a few deep breaths can help you feel a little more steady.

Easy ways to start:

• Try deep breathing. Sit or lie down. Put your hands on your belly. Breathe in through your nose to a slow count of 4, hold for a moment, then breathe out through your mouth to a count of 4. Repeat a few times.
• Try mindfulness. Sit quietly and notice your breath. If your mind wanders (it will!), gently bring it back.
• Visualize. Close your eyes and imagine a peaceful place. What do you see? Smell? Hear? Feel?
• Repeat a calming word or phrase out loud or silently.
• Try gentle, meditative movement like tai chi or qi gong if you’d rather move than sit still.

Take the Next Small Step

Taking care of your mental health isn’t about buying fancy tools or chasing trends, it’s about showing up for yourself in real, simple ways every single day.

Work toward your goals, stay connected, create little sparks of joy, and remember that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

If things ever feel too heavy to carry alone, reach out to a friend, a counselor, or call or text 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) anytime, day or night. You are not alone — and you never have to be.

Although, sometimes you need more than self-care. TMS Therapy is an FDA-cleared, medication-free treatment for depression and other mental health conditions — proven to help when other treatments fall short. Learn how TMS could help you feel like yourself again.

Reach out today to schedule your Free TMS Therapy Phone Consultation.