 Are you tired of feeling like improving your mental health is an uphill battle with no end in sight? It can be daunting, but the good news is that you might be in a much better place than you think. Sometimes the signs of mental well-being are so subtle that you may not even notice them, but trust us, they are there and they're worth celebrating. In this video, we'll explore these powerful yet understated things that you're on the right track to a healthier, happier you. Emotional Stability Stability is a magic word and often taken for granted when you're experiencing it. However, maintaining stability in your daily life is a huge sign that your mental health is in better shape, according to therapist Theodora Blanchfield. Being stable in regard to your mental health is much more than just psychological. Of course, being able to regulate your emotions and prevent outbursts are wonderful signs of this, but there's more to it. On the physical side of this, stability looks like regular and consistent sleeping patterns, eating habits, and an ability to handle your work-life balance. Struggling with mental health can make all of these difficult. You're overwhelmed by all that you have to do. Your eating significantly less or more and you may oversleep or undersleep. Seeing a reduction in these issues is a great sign that you're on the right track. Dealing with challenges We touched on emotional stability earlier. The big part of this is being able to take on challenges without getting overwhelmed. An article on mentalhealth.org explains that having good mental health doesn't mean feeling good all the time and that life is full of unavoidable risks, worries, and losses that affect everyone. Having strong mental health means that you're emotionally equipped to handle these challenges. When these inevitable hardships come up, you're able to validate your emotions and deal with them in a healthy manner. Of course, this varies from individual to individual and your specific situation. It's also important to know that some of these situations are best handled with a mental health professional, especially based on your individual case. Seeing a therapist doesn't indicate weakness and can be an important component to getting through a hard time. When life gets hard, knowing who to turn to, what strategies you can employ, and how to manage your emotions are all indicative of strong mental health. Feeling joyous and confident. Clinical psychologist Dr. Carlos Schumann, PhD, discusses traits of a mentally healthy individual. These traits include being able to maintain healthy relationships, a sense of purpose, resilience, and of course feeling joyous and confident. According to the World Health Organization, if you have good mental health, you're able to fully experience emotions of happiness, love, joy, and compassion. These are all wonderful things, but sometimes we get in spots where all of these feel impossible. When you're operating at your best, you'll likely feel your best as well. You're able to tackle your life's responsibilities and feel confident in yourself. Talking with a qualified mental health professional can be a great resource here if you find you struggle in these areas, or perhaps you want to strengthen them further. Everyone's unique, so working to find out what best benefits you is something that a professional can help you navigate. Boundaries Healthy boundaries are important. They show that you give your needs priority and express what you're okay with and not okay with. The Banyan Treatment Center explains that improvement in your boundaries is a great sign that your mental health is getting better. When people are constantly demanding your time, being able to put your foot down and assert yourself is a great skill to maintain balance and control in your life. This is difficult work though. Being able to say no to people that may become upset with you for doing so isn't fun. However, having the confidence to know that it's the best route for you is a sign of strong mental health. Self-acceptance The Banyan Treatment Center also talks about the importance of acceptance. They state that mental illness often comes with a lot of shame, self-consciousness, self-doubt, and lack of self-confidence. People often respond to these feelings by seeking validation and acceptance from others. Being able to shift your mode of acceptance from others to yourself is a sign that your mental health is improving. You can seek validation in yourself and you don't need someone to do that for you. You're able to truly trust yourself and thus are more self-reliant. Of course, this takes work to build and isn't something that happens overnight. However, slowly building up this skill will show its benefits long-term. Increased Passion for Living One of the signs of improving mental health is something you may not immediately be aware of. Over time and with work, you may gradually start to feel that your life is more exciting. You have reasons to get up in the morning. People you're looking forward to see and brought a purpose. These things take a lot of time to achieve and you may not realize them right away. However, by working on your mental health through a therapist and medication or taking several steps to improve different areas you're struggling in will gradually show. On top of this, you're better equipped to handle difficulties and know that when things get bad, it will pass. Strong mental health can look different for everyone. It can also be difficult to tell if you're making progress as the signs may be subtle. Mental health is never one size fits all and improving it will look different for each individual. If you are struggling or looking for ways to improve your wellness, getting in touch with a mental health professional can help you see what you can do to get started. Let us know your thoughts on this topic. What are some ways you can tell that you've improved mentally? What advice would you give to others? Let us know in the comment section. Be sure to like the video and share it. Remember to subscribe to Psych2Cup.