NEVADA VIEWS: How do you make the world a better place? Start by taking care of yourself.

How do you make the world a better place? Start by taking care of yourself.

Between the pandemic, the economy and the divisive political climate, it’s understandable if you’re feeling emotionally and mentally unstable. While there might not be much you can do about the national and global turmoil we’ve been experiencing, there are some things you can do to help yourself and the people around you, which can, in turn, help the people around them — and so on.

During a time in our lives when there’s so much unrest and incivility going on in the world, it can be easy to fall prey to negativity and to forget about the benefits of human kindness. This makes it even more imperative to pay attention to your own mental and emotional well-being.

How can you do this when you have so much going on and so many people who need you?

Start by stopping. Be still for a moment — just a moment — and take stock of what’s good and what’s working well in your life.

Think about whom you can count on, besides yourself. While we may not be able to be with the people in our support systems right now, it’s important to remember that they’re still out there. Pick up the phone, send a text or schedule a video call. That outreach may be just the thing that helps them think more positively as well.

Be mindful of the nature of your thoughts and feelings. Are they positive and hopeful, or are they negative and doubtful? Remember to take a self-inventory with some regularity as a way to remind yourself that you’re in charge and in control of what you think and how you feel.

You’re probably thinking that this sounds easier said than done — and you’re correct. So how do you become an expert in being in charge of your thoughts and feelings? Practice.

Yes, right now in this very minute, you have the power to decide that you want to be more intentionally positive in your thinking, feeling and doing.

Close your eyes and imagine what you need to do to begin that process. It might be asking a friend to be your accountability partner who promises to nudge you when you’re speaking negatively as a way to make you more aware of it.

Once you become more aware of the nature of your thoughts and feelings, then practice, truly practice being a more positive thinker as a way of taking care of yourself, but also as a way of caring about how your thoughts affect the people around you.

Of course, positive thinking may be more difficult to achieve if you’re depressed, anxious or experiencing generalized mood instability. If this is you, consider talking to a mental health professional who is able to support you in stabilizing your mood and teaching you skills and techniques to manage your negative thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

Support is a phone call away.

In addition to seeing a mental health professional, there are plenty of community resources available, including peer support groups, the Community Crisis Center of Nevada and the National Association of Mental Illness Helpline, to name a few. What step will you take today to ensure your emotional and mental well-being? After all, today is a great day to begin to practice these important elements of self-care and care about others.

Sandra Abdullah is a licensed clinical social worker and the director of Behavioral Health for Nevada Health Centers.