2021’s World Mental Health day occurred this past Sunday, October 10. Though it has passed, it prompts the open discussion of and removing the stigma from mental health.

First observed in 1993, World Mental Health Day was created in order to educate people about the realities of mental illness.

That being said, it should not be confined to celebration only one day a week, so when times get down, here are a few tried and true methods to work on your mental health.

1. Self-care! It can be seen in a variety of forms: physical, social, intellectual or emotional, but the main point of it is to do something that makes those areas feel better. For example, emotional self-care can include allowing yourself to feel your emotions in order to heal them.

2. Validate your feelings! When we are down on ourselves, it sometimes feels hard to allow ourselves to understand how much our feelings matter. Take the time to remember that you feel this way for a reason, and therefore, they aren’t irrational or immature.

3. Remind yourself of the good things in life! This is not to say, “Ignore the bad,”; more, it means that, though times are hard, there are still good things surrounding you, like butterflies, or sunrises, or the stars. Try to remember that those things will be waiting for you when everything begins to heal.

Remember that your mental health matters, and this year, because you were reminded of it, you can allow yourself to remember this.

If you need help, because you are not alone, here are a variety of resources ready to assist you.