Spring Coping Skills

by Gabbi Niemi, MSW, SWLC

It’s a new year and almost spring, which means most people are thinking about forming healthier habits. Often people focus on physical health, such as getting a gym membership, eating healthy meals, or cutting out sugar or alcohol. But what about bettering your mental health?  

When emotions become overwhelming, or we just feel down, we all find ways to cope with these unwanted sensations. Everyone has coping mechanisms/skills they turn to for relief from unwanted emotions, some are healthy and some are not. Healthy coping skills can help us regulate emotions, distract from unwanted feelings, or improve our overall self-care. Here is a short list of some healthy coping skills to try out this year.  

• Physical 

  • Drink water 

  • Have a healthy snack 

  • Go for a walk 

  • Take a shower 

  • Exercise, yoga, stretching, dancing 

• Social 

  • Call a loved one 

  • Meet up with friends 

  • Send a text to someone you care about 

  • Learn a new skill from someone  

• Mindfulness 

  • Journal 

  • Color, draw, doodle 

  • Meditation 

  • Aromatherapy  

  • Listen to calming or happy music 

• Spiritual 

  • Read spiritual text

  • Pray or meditate 

  • Make a list of your blessings, or gratitudes

  • Gather with others who share the same beliefs

• Other 

  • Play with a pet 

  • Find a cleaning project 

  • Paint your nails 

  • Spring cleaning, or yard work