Women are far more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues than men. But this doesn’t mean we can’t do anything about it!
By examining the common causes of depression and anxiety in women and countering them with specific positive strategies, we can reduce our risk of these disorders in ourselves and those around us.
Cultivating Positive Mental Health
#1. Don’t Compare Yourself To Others
It’s easy to feel you’re not enough if you compare yourself to others. So don’t. Unfollow people on social media who make you feel inferior. Don’t listen to those who think you can’t succeed without following a cookie-cutter path. Remember that it’s all about your journey. Focus on your own goals and forget about what others are doing.
By avoiding self-comparison, you can also sidestep feelings of jealousy and insecurity—and instead, work toward your personal goals!
#2. Forgive Yourself
People often feel guilty about minor and unimportant transgressions in their personal or professional lives. Maybe you’re still beating yourself up for something you did two weeks ago. Or maybe you forgot to do something important.
If so, remember this: It’s normal to make mistakes – we all do. But we’re supposed to learn from them, not beat ourselves up over them. When you forgive yourself, you lighten your mental load to focus on moving forward. The past is gone, but you can use your mistakes to make the future better.
#3. Find Your Thing
When we try to be good at everything, we’re doing ourselves a disservice. Allow yourself to find your passion, and your career will follow. Instead of trying to excel in every aspect of your job, pick one or two areas where you feel you can genuinely contribute—and spend most of your time there. Learn how to find what makes you tick!
#4. Don’t Try Too Hard
Trying too hard can be a real downfall, especially for women. By expending a lot of effort towards something and expecting significant results in a short amount of time, you risk getting discouraged when it doesn’t come to fruition as quickly as you were hoping.
Stop pressuring yourself to deliver massive successes constantly. You are valuable as an individual, regardless of your performance at work or in your personal life.
Remind yourself that having high standards is great, but it doesn’t mean you should beat yourself up when you fall short.
Bottom Line
In today’s highly competitive work environment, it’s easy to get discouraged and lose sight of how much you’re accomplishing and growing. So, don’t wait for a promotion or new job title to tell yourself how well you’re doing—give yourself credit when it’s due!
While attaining more prestigious career goals can feel amazing, taking time each day to recognize what you’re already doing right can help you move in a positive direction.
