Tools to Thrive – New
Self-care isn’t selfish or a luxury, it’s a necessity. It’s essential in supporting and strengthening our mental health and well-being.
This page offers tools and resources to help you care for your mental health and thrive.
Mental health is health.
We all have mental health, and it deserves the same attention and care as our physical health.
It affects how we think, feel, cope with stress, navigate change, balance daily responsibilities, and connect with the people around us.
Tools to Thrive pocket guide
Tools to Thrive Pocket Guide provides practical tools to help pause, reset, improve mood, and support overall mental well-being when you need it most.
Download in Somali (Coming Soon)
Mental Health Varies as Life Changes
Our mental health isn’t a fixed state. It can range from good to poor and change over time or even day to day, influenced by our life experiences and circumstances, both within and beyond our control.
What Shapes Our Mental Health?
Our mental health is shaped by who we are and the lived experiences we have. Culture, identity, beliefs and the communities we belong to all play a role in how we understand mental health, talk about it, seek support, and find healing in ways that feel safe and helpful.
Learn more: Culture & Identity
Emotions
Emotions are part of being human. One of the most powerful things you can do for your emotional well-being is to learn to identify and name what you’re feeling. Recognizing an emotion helps you understand it and respond more thoughtfully.
The 8 Basic Emotions
We all experience these core emotions:
😊 Joy
🤔 Curiosity/Interest
😲 Surprise
🤢 Disgust
😔 Shame/Guilt
😨 Fear
😠 Anger
😢 Sadness
Understanding Emotions and Why It Matters
What Every Emotion Has in Common
Every emotion includes:
- A prompting event
Something happens that initiates or triggers an emotional response. - Interpretation of the event
Most emotions don’t arise directly from an event. Instead, they are a response to how we interpret the event or situation.
For example: Being cut off in traffic may trigger an immediate fear response, but the emotions that follow can differ greatly depending on whether you believe the driver cut you off on purpose or was rushing to an emergency.
- Body changes
Emotions can cause physical sensations ranging from stomach discomfort and chest tightness to a racing heart or even a feeling of relaxation. - An action urge
Every emotion comes with an impulse to do something or act.
For example:
- Joy: celebrate, laugh, connect
- Curiosity: explore, learn, ask questions
- Anger: yell, argue, lash out
- Fear: run away or avoid a situation
Some action urges can be helpful, while others may create problems if we act on them automatically. The key is to recognize the difference between the emotion itself and the urge that comes with it.
- Characteristic expressions in our face, tone, and body language
Our face and body language often reflect what we’re feeling. - An actual behavior that can be chosen
For example: Disgust is the only basic emotion that naturally causes the nostrils to flare. Think about the smell of spoiled milk. You can probably feel the expression happening automatically.
Difference Between a Feeling and an Action
People often confuse their emotions with the urge that comes with it.
For example:
- “I felt like yelling when that person cut me off in traffic.”
- “They didn’t text back, so I kept texting.”
These describe urges, not emotions. The emotion might be anger, fear, sadness or another emotion. The urge is pushing you to do something.
Name It. Feel It. Then Choose.
Emotions don’t require an immediate action. One of the most important emotional skills is learning to:
- Notice the emotion.
- Name the emotion.
- Allow yourself to feel it.
- Choose how to respond.
The goal isn’t to ignore feelings. It’s to experience them without having to automatically act on them.
Why This Matters
For many people, it can be life-changing to discover that emotions don’t have to control your behavior. You can name and feel the emotion without needing to do something about it. The space between feeling and action is where choice, self-control and emotional growth begin.
Caring for Our Mental Health Matters
Sleep. Connection. Movement. Food. Nature.
These are all essential well-being practices and tools that help support and improve our mental health. When we invest in caring for our mental health, we build the capacity to manage stress, navigate life changes, and show up better for ourselves and others.
Ways to get started
There’s no perfect place to begin, just start where you are. With daily practice, small actions can become a natural part of everyday life that help you manage stress, adapt to change, build resilience, and thrive.
“In-the-Moment” Support
Feeling overwhelmed, nervous or stressed?
These mindfulness practices can provide in the moment support when you need it most, helping you pause, reset, refocus, and regain a sense of calm.
Can’t sleep? Mind Racing?
Try this:
- Choose a song, poem or prayeryou know, like: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
- Say each word 5 times before moving to the next. For example:
[design note: please add design around this example]
Twinkle, Twinkle, Twinkle, Twinkle, Twinkle
Little, Little, Little, Little, Little, Little
etc.
- Continue until you fall asleep
Why this works: It floods the short-term memory with neutral information so you can’t worry
at the same time.
Deep Breathing
Try this: Extended breathing calms the body and mind by making the exhales longer than inhales.
To begin:
- Breathe in through your nose for a count of 3
- Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of 6
- Repeat 3-4 times
Why this works: Longer exhales help slow your breathing and heart rate and quiets racing thoughts.
Move your body
Feeling stressed? Can’t focus?
Try this: Move your body, even for a minute. Take a quick walk, stretch, dance, run, jump, or simply shake out your hands, legs, or whole body. Any movement helps.
Why this works: Movement is one of the most effective ways to release the brain’s “feel-good” chemicals and calm the nervous system, reducing stress, boosting energy, improving focus, and lifting your mood.
Ground Yourself
Feeling anxious, nervous or overwhelmed?
Use grounding techniques like meditation, prayer or your 5-senses to help bring you back to the present moment.
Try this: Start by sitting comfortably and taking a slow breath in and out. Then notice:
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can touch
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
Why this works: Using your senses brings your attention back to the present moment, helping calm your mind, slow your breathing, and reduce feelings of stress or overwhelm.
Creative Expression
When you need to shift your focus away from negative emotions or a moment to relax.
Try this: Color, draw, paint, write, read, listen to music, sing, dance, play an instrument or a game.
Why this works: Engaging in something creative helps regulate the nervous system, process emotions, improve mood and express our feelings in different ways.
Practice Gratitude
Gratitude doesn’t erase stress, but it helps us notice the good that exists alongside it.
Try this: Pause, reflect and ask yourself: What am I grateful for today?
Why this works: Gratitude helps the brain shift attention toward the positive, offering a sense of hope and making it easier to navigate challenging moments.
Need More Support?
Self-care and mindfulness tools can help support well-being, but sometimes additional care for our mental health is needed. If you or someone you know needs extra support, visit Crisis and Support Resources.
Explore More Resources
Check out more resources to help care for your well-being and thrive.
Read
- Mental Health Learning Hub Explore resources around mental health by Mental Health America
- Mental Health Blog by HealthPartners on a variety of topics on mental health and well-being
- Culture Care Connection – understanding the role culture plays in mental health and overall health
American Indian | Black & African American | Hmong | Latinx | Somali | LGBTQIA+ | Rural | Deaf & Hard of Hearing - Tools for Building Resilience: WellSpring Project by Living Healthy Washington County
- From Loneliness to Social Connection: World Health Organization report on social connection
- Nature and Mental Health – MN Dept. of Health: How nature supports well-being
- NLBHA (National Latino Behavioral Health Association): Promoting mental health and well-being in the Latino community
- Somali Mental Health Awareness (SMHA) | Breaking Stigma, Building Hope: Support and resources to help individuals and families thrive.
- Isuroon – Strong Women Strong Community: Promoting the wellbeing and empowerment of Somali women
- The 40-Day Project: Postpartum support promoting mental wellbeing and social support for parents during the first 40 days after birth
- Face It: Helping men see they’re not alone in their struggle, and one of the bravest things they can do is ask for help
Watch
- NAMI Minnesota: Multilingual Mental Health Resources
English | Somali | Spanish | Hmong - Let’s Talk: Mental Wellness and Race
- Grief & Loss Support: St. Croix Valley Grief Coalition Growing through Loss
- This is What Recovery Looks Like: Overcoming Barriers and Reducing Stigma
- Webinar: Trauma, Regulation, and Empowerment during Turbulent Times University of MN Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing
Listen
In the Open Podcast by Mental Health America. Open conversations about mental health and changing the way our communities talk about mental health
Hope Starts with Us– by NAMI. Important mental health topics, one conversation at a time
Happier Together- Podcast: Important mental health conversations within the Hmong community
“What’s the Point” Podcast – The Face It Foundation: Real men, sharing real stories of struggles with mental health and life challenges
Off the Chart Podcast – Featured Episodes:
Act
- Findhelp.org helps you find community resources near you for food pantries, meal programs, housing, financial assistance, health care, and more
- 31 Tips to boost your mental health by Mental Health America
- You Do Matter Minnesota : Tools to support mental health and well-being
- End Mental Health Stigma and Support Well-being : Attend a Make It OK virtual event (free and open to all)
- NAMI Support Groups (online and in-person)
- Support Groups | NAMI [English]
- Los Grupos De Apoyo | NAMI [Spanish]
- All NAMI Minnesota Support Groups
- Share your story! Stories reduce stigma, build understanding, and remind us that we’re not alone
- Call 211 (United Way): Need help with food, housing or any basic needs? 211 is one call away
Explore lived experience stories
Unsure “what to say” when someone opens up about their mental health?
Learn what to say:
To Adults
Wallet-Size Tip Card:
What to Say Tip Card
Tip card on what to say to Make It OK.
To Teens
Wallet-Size Tip Card:
What to Say to Teens Tip Card
Talking tips from teens to adults to Make It OK.