The pandemic led to a huge population across the world developing mental health issues and the post-pandemic impact worsened the situation for far too many people. In one such case, a woman from South East England's Surrey suffered a huge setback with regard to her mental health after Covid-19 spread around the world. Mell dealt with her challenges for a large part of the year but decided to do something about them towards the end of the lockdown in her country.
34-year-old Jess Mell struggled with her mental health for a major part of the past three years. Her quest to feel better led her to adopt measures that helped her and made her try things she never did before. Mell tried 365 different activities every day of the year and the results were both surprising and worthwhile.
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Woman tries 365 ways to improve anxiety
Jess Mell suffered from panic attacks, anxiety and a severe depressive state during the pandemic. However, she fought to get better and made some changes in her lifestyle and how she perceived the nature around her. She attempted not one but over three hundred different ways through which she could feel better and deal with her issues.
Mell, who occasionally shares her journey on her Instagram, is currently the happiest she has been in a decade and she owes it all to all her trials and tribulations the past year. Interestingly, 'Get Instagram' was the number one point on her to-do list when she started out.
In 2021, towards the end of the lockdown restrictions, Mell decided to research various activities she could indulge in, most being outdoors, so she could better understand her functioning of the mind and body.
On December 27, 2021, Mell took it upon herself to try something new every day for the next hundred days. When her self-imposed challenge ended in April, she realised she was doing much better mentally and physically, so she decided to extend her plan for the rest of the year.
The 'firsts' are always special
Bee-keeping, Hot Yoga, visiting a butterfly house, making a scarecrow, donating blood, paddle boarding and upscaling an old stool among other things are some of the 365 small and big activities Mell tried. The list is long and so very inspiring.
Mell, who learned different things about herself during her activities, doesn't plan to stop anytime soon. Mell did not just limit her day's activity to her hometown Surrey, she visited cities like Budapest, Vienna, Budapest and Dublin as well. A sweet video of Mell trying a skateboarding activity shows her efforts in trying to feel good and stay excited.
Mell told a local publication how it was difficult for her to try one new thing every day, she adjusted her goal midway and instead focussed on finishing 365 activities the entire year. This demonstrates how Mell catered to her mental health even more appropriately by not pressuring herself into a challenge, but rather using this challenge to make her health calmer and receptive to change.