Improving your mental health can sometimes feel challenging, particularly when you are living or working under pressure, navigating change, or going through significant life transitions.
In the lead-up to World Mental Health Day on Saturday 10 October, The Good Mental Health Project is encouraging you to explore what ‘good’ mental health means to you and to identify practical ways of supporting your wellbeing in everyday life.
Through our work, we help individuals discover simple, effective tools that can support positive mental health, including the Five Ways to Wellbeing, an evidence-based framework that promotes five key actions to help build resilience, strengthen wellbeing, and support good mental health. By incorporating these small, practical steps into daily life, people can feel more connected, positive, and better equipped to manage life’s challenges (New Economics Foundation, 2008).
Everyone’s mental health journey is different.
Whether someone is facing challenges themselves, seeking support for the first time, or supporting a loved one, everyone deserves to feel heard, understood and supported.
Why keeping learning matters
Keep learning is one of the Five Ways to Wellbeing because it supports adaptability, self‑belief, and resilience; all key things for our wellbeing. Learning isn’t about perfection, it’s about curiosity, reflection, and growth. Learning is something we can do every day which helps us stay grounded and connected to the world around us.
When we think about learning, we often picture formal settings; being back at school, enrolling on a course, or completing a class. While these are all valuable forms of learning, learning can also mean letting go of unhelpful habits or unrealistic expectations, unlearning advice that doesn’t fit your values, your circumstances, or your family or relearning things you may have forgotten.
Ways we can ‘Keep Learning’
We’re always learning new things – often without realising it. Feeling like you’re learning and developing can boost your self-esteem and help provide a sense of purpose and connection. Sometimes, setting goals can also help you to feel more productive and more in control of your life.
What can you learn today? Here are a few ideas:
- Research something you’ve always wondered about
- Try following a new recipe
- Offer to take on a new responsibility at work
- Start a DIY project
- Sign up for a class or course
- Give a new hobby or style a go
Remember
Changing your mind, trying something new, or realising that you need extra support does not mean you have failed.
Learning is not a straight line; it is responsive, flexible, and will look different each day.
The Good Mental Health Project is funded by City of York Council Public Health and delivered by York CVS.