Mental health is something scoffed at or forgotten about, and I'd wager it's one of the most crucial things to focus on in life, maintaining it.

Now I want to touch briefly on what mental health is and isn't.

Critical Thought

If you are in such dire circumstances; such that you can't form rational self-preservation thoughts then, number 1, know you are loved, and number 2, please seek professional help.

Life is so worth living even when you're in the dark, reach out to those who are working on themselves, and they can show you why it's worth going on.

Thinking critically allows us to make good decisions for ourselves now and in the future. Types of these good decisions include:

• Going on a walk
• Checking in with your neighbor
• Drinking enough water
• Getting enough sleep
• Putting money into savings
• Working out

All of these actions in one way or another, help us have better lives

Self-love

The ability to address yourself as you would talk to someone with respect.

It's all too often that self-deprecating thoughts cause genuine pathways in the brain to trick us into thinking we're someone we aren't.

This is to say that, quite genuinely you are capable of tricking yourself into thinking you're less than who you are.

Self-love is the next step after critical thought. Now it's time to respect yourself.

Letting these negative thoughts tell you "you're too weak" or "I'm so dumb" and instead saying "I'm proud of the steps I've taken so far" or "This is a new problem I'm sure I can tackle" you aren't letting the right neural pathway be walked.

Telling yourself you aren't capable of happiness now and will be when you get "said thing" WON'T make you happier.

By finding "motivation" thru exciting yourself for the reward... You have unintentionally trained yourself to ALWAYS look for a bigger reward and thus will lead to negative thinking because you not feasible to attain everything you want and be a pro at it, in this life.

Instead, realize every day is an opportunity for you to do something better and enjoy the process. See how it feels to

• Compliment someone in the gym
• Bring a friend along with you to the range
• Listen with humility to the advice of ones who are doing well because of it
• Smile more
• Make someone else's day better.

How you should Feel.

As with all things in life, balance has to be found; some people can devote their time to things differently than we can, which will always mean comparing ourselves to other people has the potential to rob our joy.

It all depends on what pathway we've trained in our minds. trail of self-doubt, deprecation, and depression or self-love, appreciation, and joy?

Which trail will you follow?

Trail of self-doubt, deprecation, and depression

or...

Trail of self-love, appreciation, and joy