Tough times are a natural part of life, but you can increase your resilience to make getting through them easier. Although biology plays a role in our susceptibility to mental health symptoms, we are not wholly at the mercy of our genetics. Several personality attributes contribute to a person's ability to withstand adversity. What's more, we can increase our resilience by engaging in an intentional practice of optimism.

New Year's resolutions for mental health may not be on your radar yet, but as we approach the end of 2018, many are thinking about the new year. Common goals include behavior changes like healthy eating, increased exercise, or quitting undesired habits like smoking. In year's past, my goals have also been about changing my behavior. This year, I am shifting my mindset around resolutions and creating goals focused on improving my mental health. New Year's resolutions for mental health aren't just motivated by a desire to behave differently, but by a desire to feel differently.

Perfectionism and being perfect often hold you back from living in bliss. You've heard the phrase "nobody's perfect," and you've probably said it yourself many times. It's a term people use without much thought. I've been thinking about perfectionism a lot recently, both because I've had substantial growth in this area, but also because I have more work to do. Perfectionism, trying to be perfect, can be a real happiness killer if it goes unchecked.

If we reduce irritability, our experience of life changes. Irritability can be a side effect of many mental illnesses ("Irritability and Mental Illness: Just Stop Already!"). However, your day doesn't need to be controlled by irritation.

Many factors can cause you to be stressed at work. Unfriendly coworkers, unnecessary regulations, difficult clients, and long hours all potentially release stress and anxiety chemicals, which, without intervention, can affect our entire day. But you can cut down on feeling stressed at work.

Friends, change is necessary so I am moving on from my stint as an author of the Living a Blissful Life blog. For the last year, I focused on sharing my experiences with you, hoping to provide helpful and positive steps you can take to live a more blissful life. But it’s time for me to move on; this change is necessary for my personal growth.

We live in a society that pushes us away from satisfaction. In fact, being satisfied can sometimes be seen as a weakness because there is always more to want. There is always more to which we can strive. But I feel like peace and bliss demand that we have a satisfied mind. I believe that peace and bliss demand that we find satisfaction in having exactly what we need—no more and no less. Having a satisfied mind could be the key to genuine peace. 

Are you living each new day with the goal of being a better version of yourself than you were the day before? If you are working toward self-actualization and personal fulfillment, learning from your life experiences, and navigating challenges with grace, you can begin to manifest a better version of yourself.

Loneliness and isolation can tear apart your happiness, but you can prevent it.  I work as a peer specialist and I often hear people concerned about feeling lonely or isolated (Mental Illness Is an Isolating and Lonely Disease). Today, I want to share three tips that have helped prevent loneliness and isolation in my life.

Did you know you can become your own mentor? In my last post, I wrote about quieting your inner critic. This is an important first step in personal empowerment. The next logical step once you’ve silenced the negative self-talk is becoming your own mentor.