Good mental health doesn’t just mean you don’t have a mental illness. It means you are in a state of wellbeing where you feel good and function well in the world.

According to the World Health Organization, good mental health is when you can:

• cope with the normal stresses of life
• work productively
• realise your potential
• contribute to the community

If you have good mental health, you feel good. You might have emotions including happiness, love, joy or compassion, and you feel generally satisfied with life.

You are also likely to feel like you belong to a community and are making a contribution to society.

You might also have a sense of spiritual wellbeing, such as feeling connected to a higher power, a sense of meaning or purpose, or feelings of peace or transcendence.

Good mental health checklist

We all have to face challenges in life. People who have good mental health are more likely to be able to cope with the ups and downs.

You probably have good mental health if:

• you are confident when faced with new situations or people
• you feel optimistic
• you don’t always blame yourself
• you set goals
• you feel good about yourself
• you have good self esteem

Building resilience

An important part of having good mental health is building resilience. This is when you can cope with unexpected changes and challenges in your life through drawing on your inner strength and using the networks around you.

Resilience is important your mental health. It is something that can be learned.

People who have resilience can manage stress better, which means they are less likely to develop mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. You can learn coping skills to build your resilience and ensure good mental health.

For more information, you can visit:

• beyondblue
• ReachOut
• headspace

Follow these 8 tips for building good mental health.