Life brings many lessons, and that reality inspired me to write several books on personal development. Career development is also part of the overall process. Taking a hard look at yourself can bring many benefits and growth in both personal and career development. In doing this, you can see where making some changes is evident.

Looking closely at what skills match career choices similar to what you already have can reveal different titles for your skills that will make you look better. It can also reveal areas where more training could make a big difference.

Mental health is a state of well-being that affects how people think, feel, and act. You can periodically assess your mental health as you evaluate yourself for the interactions and opportunities in your daily life. Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

• Emotional well-being

• Psychological well-being

• Social well-being

• Resilience

• Hope

• Self-esteem 

Mental health helps people:

• Cope with stress

• Realize their abilities

• Learn and work well

• Contribute to their community

• Make healthy choices

• Relate to others 

Mental health can be influenced by and influence physical health. Factors that can contribute to mental health conditions include:

• Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry

• Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse 

Some examples of mental health issues include Depression, Dementia, Substance use disorders, Affective disorders, and Anxiety disorders. 

Some signs of poor mental health include:

• Withdrawing from friends, family, and colleagues

• Avoiding activities that are usually enjoyed

• Sleeping too much or too little

• Eating too much or too little

• Feeling hopeless

• Having consistently low energy

• Using mood-altering substances more frequently

• Displaying negative emotions

• Being confused

• Being unable to complete daily tasks 

  
  - These insight areas are ways we can learn more about ourselves. My book “Finding the Best Version of Ourselves: The Interview of Self” focused on looking at ourselves to find areas to improve, polish, and make ourselves more marketable. It would have been a plus if I had included ideas on personal mental health assessment in that edition of the book.

Joseph Mendoza’s book Overthinking In Relationships and Survivors of Alzheimer’s, A Caregiver’s Guide to Mental Health and Aging, is on this website under “Book Reviews.”