“MIND…Blown: UP YOUR MENTAL HEALTH”
By Jesi Mandagaran
If you can recall from Carl Jung’s 5 Elements of Happiness from my first blog (Journey To Total Health), MENTAL HEALTH is number one, right next to physical health. Sure, a physically healthy body is a major player in health but mental health is the real hero. Why? Because Total Health starts in your mind and the body follows whatever the mind believes. Literally, Mind over Matter.
#MindBlown #MindBending Mental health is a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being. (Thank you Google, Googs.)
In some formality, the MIND, mental health, is greatly credited for man’s/woman’s achievements. Science calls it Law of Attraction, like attracts like. Religion, and/or Biblical studies calls it Faith. So, if it is true and it is, then our state of our mental health affects our body, our environment and the human interaction we experience. But to keep this focused on the fitness aspect, we will solely look at how mental health affects the body, in which, I’ve already mentioned it before in Blog 7.0 No Stress Bruh, we can better identify this as psychoneuroimmunology.
Psychoneuroimmunology says that a well mind breeds a healthy body and/or an unwell mind breeds a sick body. Unhealthy thoughts are rooted from reacting negatively to stress. A well mind, is being able to handle stressors in positive ways and being able to accomplish daily goals. Let’s be real, life can be stressful, let’s not make it harder on ourselves by living aimlessly in an unwell mind, AKA something I’d like to call Murphy’s Law kind of living. Ever heard of that little rascal?? Talk about an asshole.
Here are some great ways to sharpen the skill of obtaining good mental health:
- Exercising.
The body produces endorphins during and after your workout. They not only uppercut stress, endorphins also leave you feeling Oh-So-GOOD. Having a routine that includes exercise also helps with quality sleep. Quality sleep, as mentioned in a previous Blog, Beasts Sleep Too, is greatly credited for our overall mental and physical health. Exercising regularly is also a mood booster, which helps fight off depression and anxiety. And, DUH, staying active fights weight gain and other nasty pesky diseases. - Nutrition.
It’s true, if you eat like shit, you’ll feel like shit. Lovingly, feeding your body clean balanced beneficial nutrients such as berries, Old Fashioned Oats, raw nuts and high protein foods to give your body a boost of positively charged energy. Nobody appreciates an Eeyore in the office. Sugary processed foods only spike a high only to faceplant in tired-sluggish lows. Boooooo. - Reducing and/or eliminating alcohol and caffeine intake.
Drinking was a form of celebration, meaning only to be consumed on special occasions. Crash course on alcohol and other drugs, using them to “reduce” stress doesn’t fix the problems, it enhances the problems and/or only adds to the problems. - Self Love.
Make time for favorite things, like hobbies and projects. Speak kindly to yourself and about yourself. - Sweeten Your Home.
Entering your Home Sweet Home should be a peaceful-serene feeling from your chaotic work day. Meaning, a nice clean kitchen, a clutter free bedroom, bathroom, and any space really. Clutter on the exterior is clutter on the interior. We are a product of our environment. Moreover, it is a reflection of our character. (Future blog alert!) - Surround yourself with good peeps.
It is true what they say, birds of the same feather flock together. So, that would beg the question what kind of birds are you soaring with or not soaring with? And do they have a positive influence on you or a negative influence? If they tend to pour cheap vodka on their cheerios and find a problem for every solution, then it is time to ditch em’ and find some new homies. - Meditate.
I know, I know—it’s the eye-roll trend lately. But if that is too hard and weird for you to sit in complete silence, without your hand glued to your phone… Then just take 5-10 minutes a day and practice quieting your mind. Just focus on listening to the buzz of your refrigerator running or identifying objects around you. (Example: Tree, brown trunk, green leaves. Kitchen sink, silver, clean grey plate in dish rack.) The goal is just to give your mind a break from the chaotic dailies and teaching it to better compartmentalize thoughts. All legendary leaders contribute their success to this. Because let’s face it, trying to figure solutions from the same kind of thinking that created problems in the first place won’t get you very far. - Chill on the Social Media.
If you’re someone that’s easily consumed by social media and if it has negative affects on you, then stay off it or limit your time on it. My best suggestion, is to at least turn off all notifications. #FOMOnoMo’
So, overall, on your Journey To Total Health, MENTAL HEALTH, the MIND is a stud muffin worth paying extra attention to. You cannot expect a joyful life when you live with an unwell mind. The Mind and Body are one, they are a Team. It is up to you whether it is an Olympian Gold Medalist Team working for you or a Life-Sucking Suicide Squad working against you. And, as stated once before, the power is in our hands, literally alchemized from our daily choices. What will you do to up your Mental Health game today?
#PeaceOut, (Literally)
Coach Jesi M.
[References]
10 Things You Can Do For Your Mental Health
Take Care of Your Mental Health
Brain + Mental Health
YouTube Video (Duration 5min)
A Membership for Mental Health-CF Journal By Amy Kievit [Amy Kievit has looked for ways to supplement her medication for anxiety and depression. She said CrossFit is the most effective thing she’s found.]
