Creating a Personalized Self-Assessment Plan for Better Mental Wellness

Making a plan to check in on your mental health can help you feel better. Here's a simple guide to help you through this process:

1. Know How You’re Feeling Right Now

• Think About Your Feelings: Take some time to think about how you feel. Writing in a journal can be helpful to keep track of your moods over time.
• Keep Track: Studies show that writing about your feelings can help reduce sadness by half for some people.
• Check In Regularly: Try to check in with yourself every week or every two weeks.

2. Use Some Helpful Tools

• Mental Health Check: Use simple tools like the GAD-7 for anxiety or the PHQ-9 for depression. These tools can help find problems about 75% of the time.
• Create a Wellness Wheel: Make a circle divided into sections for different parts of your life (like health, feelings, and friendships) and rate how happy you feel in each area from 1 to 10.

3. Set Your Goals

• Make SMART Goals: Set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, try to practice mindfulness for 10 minutes every day for a month.
• Aim for Improvement: People who have clear goals tend to feel about 25% better overall.

4. Pick Helpful Activities

• Self-Care: Do activities that make you feel good, like yoga, meditation, or taking walks in nature. About 35% of people feel better when they exercise regularly.
• Stay Connected: Spend time with friends and family or join a support group. Having social connections can lower the chances of feeling depressed by 50%.

5. Look Back and Make Changes

• Monthly Check-Up: Every month, look at how you’re doing with your goals. Think about how your mood and behavior have changed. It helps to adjust your plan based on what’s working.
• Be Open to Change: Don’t be afraid to switch things up if something isn’t helping you.

By regularly using these self-assessment tips, you can create a personal self-care plan that makes a positive difference in your mental wellness.