It can be a struggle to be present, but using this victory visualization can help bring you from future desires back to the present moment. A writer I admire recently posted this inspiring visualization and my twist is intended to provide relief from anxiety. Many of us live in future thoughts -- whether we're worried about future anxiety or only thinking about what we're trying to achieve in order to move on to the next goal or task. Help yourself to be present with these steps.

We've all heard that meditation can reduce stress, improve our emotional wellbeing, and help us increase self-awareness. As a person who struggles with anxiety, I found meditation difficult in the beginning. I wanted to relax, but my mind continually wandered to all the things I needed to do. My body was fidgety, and I worried I was doing it wrong. I brought my concerns to my meditation teacher who helped me see you don't have to meditate perfectly to reap the many benefits of meditation.

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.

Setting healthy boundaries is an essential element of relationships but navigating the implementation of boundaries can be intimidating. A therapist once said to me, "We teach people how to treat us." Those words stayed with me. Once I understood that I teach people how to treat me based on what I will and won't tolerate, I felt empowered and began setting healthy boundaries in my relationships.

Reducing clutter improves mental health. Clutter can affect your mental health and get in the way of your blissful life. Reducing clutter by spending even 10 minutes each day organizing or cleaning can make a difference in your overall happiness and health.

Smartphones can affect our mental health in both negative and positive ways, but lessening screen time can help create more bliss. Our technology can be great for connecting with remote friends and family, keeping up with the news, learning, or convenient shopping. However, smartphones can also become a source of anxiety: we can fear we’re missing out, put ourselves into a downward spiral of social media and news negativity, or constantly work rather than taking much-needed rest. Screen time before bed can also make sleeping difficult and lack of sleep negatively impacts mental health.

Conflict resolution skills are important because interpersonal conflict can be tricky, but there are simple skills you can use to resolve conflict with ease. Recently, I employed my best conflict resolution skills when I accompanied my sister to her wedding dress fitting. Anyone who has planned a wedding knows how stressful it can be. There is so much pressure to put it all together, and emotions can run high. It is helpful to expect some conflict and to be prepared to use healthy conflict resolution skills.

What’s the most recent interaction that easily offended you, caused immediate anger, or raised your hackles?

You most likely experienced a trauma trigger if you have ever experienced a strong emotional response to a person or event that seemed disproportionate to the situation. Most people experience trauma triggers, often without conscious awareness. When we don't know how to identify our triggers, they can interfere with our happiness. A trigger occurs when you encounter someone or something in your environment that reminds you of a traumatic experience from your past. It doesn't have to be a significant trauma. Any reminder of a painful event you haven't fully resolved might manifest in your life as a trigger, and it can limit your ability to create happiness.

Can a pet help with depression? Although emotional support animals are well known for supporting mental health, having a house pet also helps with mental illnesses like depression.