Although you might be taking great care of your body, you may not be giving as much thought to your mental self. So today I want you to ask yourself, “What do I do to take care of my mind and keep it in excellent shape?” For some excellent mental makeover techniques, read on.
1. Seek pleasure. Know what makes you happy and do it every day. Take time each single day to immerse yourself in something that brings joy to your life. Watch a movie, take a walk, do some crafting, build a shelf, spend time with friends or paint a picture. Make it a point to derive some pleasure from your living every day.
2. Laugh. Laugh a lot. Read jokes online. Make up funny stories. View your favorite situation comedies on TV, old and new. Call a friend who always makes you laugh. Spend time with children and babies. Experience humor as often as you can.
3. Cultivate new interests. To keep your mind working on several different levels at the same time, try new things often. Learn a new language. Visit museums. Study a new topic that you have been interested in on the internet. Make it a personal goal to learn something new each day. My grandmother used to say, “The day has not been wasted, you have learned something new.”
4. Stimulate yourself. Play some healthy mind games. We are talking about those games that put your brain through some mental calisthenics. Do word searches. Work some Sudoku puzzles. Get into crosswords. Work a few math problems occasionally. Encourage your mind to get exercise by trying out different kinds of interesting and challenging mind games from time to time. Find some new apps for your smart-phone that will challenge you and make you think and make you think differently.
5. Know yourself. Recognize your own stress responses, inside and out. Knowing yourself will help you identify stressors and act proactively when they enter your life. If you can train yourself to begin to recognize when you are stressed, especially very early in the process, you can then proactively take steps to abolish the source of the stress or to beef up your coping strategies.
6. Express yourself. Although this may be a little difficult for you, do what you must to express your feelings to others. Whether you are having happy and fun feelings, or sad and scary feelings, work on develop ways to share your emotions with those who care about you. Holding in how you feel will rarely lead you to the path of a calm and secure mental state.
7. Stay on top of your feelings. In the event that you find yourself in a situation where you can’t express your feelings to someone else, use your writing skills to write down on paper or in your computer how you’re feeling. Expressing your feelings through your written word can be both freeing and effective. Keep a journal and write regularly in it.
Actively take part in activities that bring joy and laugh frequently. Constantly seek out new interests and play games that give your mind a work-out. Know your own reactions to stress and do whatever is necessary to express yourself.
When you concentrate on following through with these suggestions, you’ll give your mind a fantastic work-out. And when your mind is in peak condition, so are you!
Thoughts?
photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/meblob/2254264701/sizes/z/in/photostream/
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