Staying positive does not mean never feeling bad

Mental health includes emotional, psychological and social well-being. It
affects how we think, feel and act as we cope with life, and it shapes how we
handle stress, relate to others and make choices — at every stage of life,
from childhood through older age.

Good mental health helps you **cope with stress, be physically healthy, have
good relationships, contribute to your community, work productively, and
realise your potential**.

The correction worth reading first

**"Staying positive doesn't mean that you never feel negative emotions, such
as sadness or anger. These emotions can help you deal with problems. But you
don't want those emotions to take over."**

That is the definition, and it is the opposite of how the phrase is usually
used. The goal is a balance between positive and negative emotions, not
the absence of one of them — so it is not helpful to dwell on bad memories or
worry too much about the future, and it is not helpful to suppress the
feelings either.

Two practical parts of it:

• Try to hold on to good feelings when you have them.
• Limit exposure to negative information — take breaks from news or social
  media when they upset you, and **use social media to connect, not to argue
  or to compare your life with others'.**

Gratitude, done as a habit

**Practising gratitude means being thankful for the good things in your
life** — daily, either by thinking about them or writing them in a journal.
They can be big (the support of loved ones) or small (a nice meal).

The stated mechanism is worth knowing: it **helps you notice moments when you
have positive emotions, even during stressful times.** It is an attention
exercise rather than an act of optimism.

Physical health is mental health

• Be physically active. Exercise reduces stress and depression and
  improves mood.
• Get enough sleep. Poor sleep makes you more easily annoyed and angry,
  and **over the long term a lack of quality sleep makes depression more
  likely.** A regular sleep schedule is the point, not just hours.
• Eat well. Good nutrition may improve mood and decrease anxiety and
  stress — and **not getting enough of certain nutrients may contribute to
  some mental illnesses.** There may be a link between **low vitamin B12 and
  depression**.

Connect

Strong, healthy relationships may help protect you against stress, and it
is good to have different types of connection — not all of one kind, and
not all from one person.

Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine.