Taking care of your emotional health is as important as taking care of your physical body. There is such a thing as “preventive mental health,” just like there is preventive physical health. Preventive mental health lowers stress and builds resilience for when the going gets tough.

Mental and emotional wellness are important parts of your overall health. Being good to your mind is just as important as being good to your body — and that means living a healthy lifestyle, paying attention to how you feel, and doing simple things to take care of the whole you.

Mental Health Awareness Month (also referred to as "Mental Health Month") has been observed in May in the United States since 1949. This year’s theme is “More than Enough”. It’s a good time to raise awareness of mental or behavioral health issues, to help reduce the stigma and to check in on those you feel may be struggling.

People have different stressors and different ways of managing them. Check out some goal suggestions – a checklist of sorts – that can be used as a starting point to develop your own stress-reduction goals.