Your Mental Health Matters

Atlanta Falcons star wide receiver Calvin Ridley announced over the weekend that he needed to step away from the game he loves because he’s dealing with mental health issues. Weeks early, Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Lane Johnson did the same.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental illness as a “health condition characterized by significant changes in mood, thought or behavior associated with distress or impaired functioning” that affects a person's ability to cope with daily life. It is also where behavior becomes disruptive in a way that has an impact.

In a world where so many of us are constantly judging and comparing ourselves, our abilities and our timelines to what’s on social media, TV or the internet, it's critical to make sure that we’re prioritizing our self-care.

So what can we as leaders do to help those around us, as well as ourselves? Here are seven mental-health tips:

Get Your Body Moving

One of the most advisable ways to be in good mental health is exercise. Getting your body moving allows for the release of endorphins that relieve stress and improve your emotional state.

Surround Yourself With Good People

It’s critical to make sure the people around you are supportive, positive and, overall, good for you. Surrounding yourself with the wrong people can contribute to mental illness and also invite additional problems into your life.

Don’t Be Afraid To Put Your Needs First

The pull to be there for our loved ones is understandable and even praiseworthy. However, it is also essential to know when to put your mental health and your needs first. If you always put other people first, you will come last.

This doesn’t mean that you should disregard the feelings or needs of those you care about, but you should be aware of when you need to look out for yourself.

Get A Good Night’s Rest

According to the National Institutes of Health, sleep is a necessity to maintain psychological functions. Consistently getting good and healthy sleep has also been linked to improving learning and memory functions, both of which impact your mental health.

Some great ways to improve your quality of rest and mental health include the following:

• Turning off electronic screens at least 60 minutes prior to sleeping

• Avoiding alcohol, caffeine or heavy meals right before bedtime

• Turning off lights before bed

• Sleeping and waking at regular, consistent times

Keep A Journal

Writing down your thoughts in a journal or even on paper is another excellent tip for bettering your mental health. The process is therapeutic and can assist you in processing your emotions. Journaling is not only a great stress reliever, but it also allows you to reflect, learn and, ultimately, grow.

Cut Out Bad Habits

Bad habits can genuinely wreak havoc upon mental health. But even worse, they can be challenging to abandon once certain behavior becomes familiar and engrained. Take a second to consider what habits of yours may be doing far more harm than good.

Take Up A New Hobby

Sometimes, improving your mental health means pushing or challenging yourself constructively. This is where taking up a healthy, new hobby can prove to be particularly valuable.

Giving Yourself Time

As you work on improving your mental health, don’t forget to be patient. Bettering yourself always takes time and consistency. Improving your mental health is no different.

Millionaires Use This Unexpected App to Invest (Now You Can Too)

The Power Law dictates that 1% of the world’s population holds 45% of the wealth. And they’re only getting richer, thanks to the rise of consumer technology during the global health situation.

The one thing they’re doing that we’re not? They allocate 30%, on average, to alternatives like Contemporary Art.

That’s more unexpected than the Jets beating the Bengals last week.

But It makes sense: inflation is rising at alarming rates, and every top equity firm from Goldman to Vanguard is projecting returns of less than 6% until 2035.

Numbers you should know:

• Contemporary Art prices outperformed the S&P 500 by 174% from 1995–2020.

• The global value of art expected to grow by 53% by 2026

• 86% of wealth managers recommend offering art to clients

Thanks to Masterworks.io, the $1B investment platform, you can access this unexpected and potentially lucrative asset class.

They use data to identify key works by artists like Picasso, Banksy, and Basquiat—then securitize and issue shares of those paintings on their revolutionary platform.

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*See important disclosures