Following up from my last post, I want to detail how one can guard against the pull of apathy/ lethargy/ and other leanings of a brain experiencing symptoms that are by nature disempowering or just a view of life that is currently disempowering. Awareness is the key.
Here’s what you can do to maintain a more positive bent:
1) The first step is to distinguish the symptom or pull of thoughts from yourself. It’s not YOU it’s a symptom or an experience.
2) Know that you CAN interrupt this experience: you are not your thoughts nor are you limited by the tendency of your physical brain.
3) SEt up structures that live outside of you that keep the trend toward being disempowered interrupted…get a coach, create a mantra or statement that empowers you ( My favorite is “everything is happening in my favor…”), set your caregivers/ family and friends up to check in with you about your mood and mindset, have a plan that excites you.
4) Create appointments with yourself and others to look on the bright side, focus on what is working, and planning inspiring events, vacations, day trips in the future to support your mind set. Set yourself up to be inspired.
5) Fill your home with light and life: flowers, plants and Full spectrum light bulbs
6) Get fresh air! WALK if you can, MOVE, STRETCH, go be outside, get a tan and take vitamin D
7) FEED YOUR HEAD! Read more about the brain here’s some examples: Dr David Amen~ Magnificent Mind or Making a Good Brain Great; David Rock~ Your Brain at work. According to David Rock people who were more educated about the brain were more effective in managing their emotional responses to threat.
Try Bach flower remedies available at Wholefoods or online, these have been very helpful for myself and my clients who want regulate their mood with out a perscription.
9) Set your supplements out on the counter where you are more likely to take them, or set them up for the next day before bed…make it easy to keep your promises to yourself.
10) Take control of the flow of information you allow in your mental space. Check emails at certain specific times. Be uninterruptable. Limit TV and NEWS.
Time yourself on Facebook…don’t allow yourself to get lost…use a kitchen timer.
11) Rally the troops! Have scheduled conversations with the nurturing supportive people in your life. Keep those appointments. Nurture the ones that make you feel supported and cared for, while powerfully managing neccessary relationships that don’t always support you~ minimize your time with these people.
12) Go volunteer for an afternoon~ step out of your own life and into caring for others~ your concerns will still be there when you are done. Do this at least once a month.
13) Manage your rest. SLEEP. NAP. Trying to bounce back from a setback or circumstance without being rested is silly.
14) Keep inspiring texts at hand: I am currently reading The Purpose Driven Life, By Wallace Wattles; The Bounce Back Book, by Karen Salmansohn is delightful and I just picked up the JOY Diet by Martha Beck
15) Journal. For over 15 years I have done what’s called the Morning Pages from The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron. Each morning I sit for 15 minutes and write whatever comes to mind with out judgment or assessment. Put words on a page…from time to time this practice yields something useful…like this list!
Awareness may be the key, but practices are the lock. The lock on sustaining a clear focused positive mental space. Any time I catch myself slipping I can guarantee you that I have let my practices go out of existence or have slacked in my discipline. It takes something to keep your head out of the miasma of fear and uncertainty that seems to coat the world today, especially when one is dealing with a chronic illness. But just because it takes something doesnt mean its not worth the effort!
Go forth and use your powers for good!
