This is your reminder to STOP and assess how you're going for five minutes.

You always look after your physical health, eating the right foods, moving, and exercising, however not many people look after their mental health to the same degree.

it is vital to stay on top of your mental health and in touch with your emotions to identify how you feel.

Breaking habits and changing patterns early will make it a lot easier to improve your mental health.

I suffered with mental health issues, still do. For many years I would take on the opinion which was pushed upon me, to take pills meant you are crazy.

These days, I am happily medicated, have been for close to a decade now.

I think we all need to sometimes turn off our brains and inner monologues and really focus on the way things in our lives make us FEEL.

Does this person, this situation I am in, this workload or this lifestyle make me feel......

If the answer is not so great, then what do you do?

You can keep on keeping on, or you could chase the feeling. Chase things which make you feel good, positive things.

People who run and walk do this for the good hormones exercising produces, which improves mood.

Once you start to feel overwhelmed and intruded by negative thoughts, it can be challenging to pull yourself out of the headspace day after day without the correct guidance.

Getting on top of your mental health early helps you develop the tools and confidence not to let yourself fall back into that state of mind.

Further, diagnosing and developing a treatment plan early on enables you to get counselling referrals, book in to see specialists, and use the available recourses to improve your mental health before it feels too overwhelming to do so.

If you wait too long, you may need to miss extended work periods, miss out on social gatherings, and spend time away from your home.

Getting on top of your mental health early will reap many benefits now and in the future.

Many people disregard the beginning of mental illness such as OCD, anxiety, and depression, not realising it can evolve into something a lot bigger.

It’s not always easy to be aware of the of what is considered expected behaviours and possible early signs of mental health issues.

Signs can be subtle but can increase and often include patterns like losing sleep, losing your appetite, high levels of stress, being unproductive, and feelings of isolation.

When trying to identify poor mental health its useful to learn about the patterns.

Also, the people around you will notice the change in you before you will - ask them.

Poor mental health can come from various social and psychological factors.

Social elements can include discrimination, social exclusion, poor lifestyle choices, ill-health, stressful working conditions, and a hostile home environment.

Psychological aspects enhance an individual’s likelihood of developing poor mental health including, genetics.

Bipolar and other mental disorders are genetic, meaning there is a decent chance if your parent or someone in your family has bipolar, you or your children may develop it also.

You can implement a number of steps into your everyday routine that will improve your mental health by encouraging a healthy environment that supports your mental health, including:

Eating the right, balanced and nutritious foods.

Consuming vitamins and minerals supporting healthy brain function and mood stability.

None of us can change the past but we can change the future where we can.

I am also a fervent believer of being your own best friend - if the self talk inside your head is scathing then you're already viewing the world in that bias.

Some tips for trying to improve your mental health and that of those around you are -

• Early child intervention, providing a stable, nurturing environment from a young age
• Providing programs and resources to kids to openly talk about their struggles
• Seeking counselling early
• Ensure you are getting over 8 hours of sleep a night
• Surrounding yourself with positive people
• Limiting the use of technology and media
• Opening up to people around you
• Keeping your environment clean
• Joining groups and programs that support positive mental health
• Reduce alcohol consumption and avoid illicit drug use
• Implementing an exercise routine every day
• Getting outdoors and soaking up the sunlight
• Stimulate your mind by trying new activities
• Self-care, take time out of your day for you

Never forget, we are all in this together.