By: Albros Awari
It seems that in this day and age people are having trouble achieving a healthy state of mind. This can be attributed to an abundance of factors, such as stress, mental illness, and emotional instability.
These elements can deteriorate a person's mental well-being to such an extent that it appears irreversible. It may seem impossible to change one's own mind, but it is quite the contrary.
It is imperative to have a willing heart and committed mentality. With desire and practice, your mindset can be manipulated to help you persevere. A healthful mindset is necessary for a person's well-being.
This state of mind is developed through exercise, the achievement of personal growth, and molding the mind.
Movement and activity come with incredible benefits to one's mental state. It is not what many people want to hear, but it should be given a chance. Exercise does not need to be two hours at the gym. It can be walking around a neighborhood for half an hour while watching a great show. According to Melinda Smith, “Well, you’re not alone. Pounding weights in a gym or jogging on a treadmill isn’t everyone’s idea of a great time. But you don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the benefits of being more active.
Take a walk at lunchtime through a park, walk laps in an air-conditioned mall while window shopping, throw a Frisbee with a dog, dance to your favorite music, play activity-based video games with your kids, cycle or walk to an appointment rather than drive.”
The evidence of exercise making people feel better is not just anecdotal. It is a scientifically examined phenomenon. The body reacts to exercise and the brain is then flooded with feel-good hormones. According to Patricia Harteneck, “Your body releases stress-relieving and mood-boosting endorphins before and after you work out, which is why exercise is a powerful antidote to stress, anxiety, and depression.”
Humans have a built in ability to heighten our mood with movement. Exercise can help people to feel better mentally in addition to changes in one's physique, in so creating a larger sense of confidence. There is a correlation between our bodies and our minds. As one improves, so does the other. According to Melissa Smith et al, “The mind and the body are intrinsically linked. When you improve your physical health, you’ll automatically experience greater mental and emotional well-being.
Physical activity also releases endorphins, powerful chemicals that lift your mood and provide added energy. Regular exercise or activity can have a major impact on mental and emotional health problems, relieve stress, improve memory, and help you to sleep better.” Activity is a biological cheat code to improve the mind. Activeness breeds an enhanced mood, better memory and more. Exercise is a fantastic way for people to develop a healthy mindset.
The gratification and genuine joy that blossoms from personal growth is unfathomable. Humans have one concrete trait in common with each other; the desire to be better than you were yesterday. This unrelenting desire drives all people, but it can sometimes be side tracked due to an unhealthy mind.
One must remember that it is in these bouts of calamity that demands vitality. Happiness is directly achieved after completing a task that has been brewing for any period of time. According to Jamie Friedlander, “Take a look at your life and find an area for growth. Perhaps you want to get in better physical shape, save more money for retirement, publish a book, travel to 10 countries, have children or learn a new skill.” Growth does not come easy and it needs dedication.
“Take a look at your life and find an area for growth."
Although it may seem intimidating, the joy that comes from completion is worth it. Engaging in activities of adversity and enjoyment brings intense glee to one's life. For this reason, hobbies are a great way to improve oneself. It gives people a chance to better themselves in exactly the way they desire. According to Melli O'Brien, “Take some time each day to do things you love and just enjoy yourself.
It could be engaging in a hobby like music, art, gardening or going hiking or riding a bike. It could be just having a cup of tea in the sun.
Take some time each week (or even each day) to just enjoy life and let go of all your cares and worries for a while. Research also shows that it improves confidence and self-esteem as well as improving our overall sense of wellbeing.” Time for self-reflection and relaxation is mandatory. One cannot grow without taking time to reset and reflect. It is important to keep that in mind. Improvement in oneself brings fulfillment and unprecedented happiness.
The mind is an amazing tool to design a healthy mental state. The mentality you chose to have at any given moment can be your decision. That being said, choosing the way one can think and feel is easier said than done. No worries though, with practice, one can mold their mind. According to Maria Brilaki, “By actively choosing different thoughts, you can reinforce the habit of thinking positively and decrease the habit of thinking negatively.”
Trying to manifest a desired thought process can help immensely when in a bad place. There are mind techniques that one can use to benefit their mental health. Appreciation is a perpetually overlooked cheat code for our minds. It is a shortcut to immediate joy. Realizing the value around one's life will bring immense happiness and almost instantaneously bring about a better mindset. According to Rick Hanson, “Often we go through life and some good thing happens—a little thing, like we checked off an item on our To Do list, we survived another day at work, the flowers are blooming, and so forth.
Hey, this is an opportunity to feel good. Don’t leave money lying on the table: Recognize that this is an opportunity to let yourself truly feel good.” Talking and thinking to oneself about the incredible experiences that are felt, seen, and heard are great ways to mold the mind. It is a great approach to realize what is being missed out by having a negative or unhealthy perception. Focusing on positives will only benefit someone looking to improve the health of their mind. According to Moreah Vestan, "Notice, talk about, and write about what does feel good in your life today.
It could be the pancakes for breakfast, the call to or from a dear friend, yoga at the gym, the flowers you saw on your walk, your good vision and hearing, the cleared desk or table, or anything that leads you to more peace and contentment." There are countless ways to express the daily delights of one's life. Keeping a journal or diary are fantastic ways to keep notes of happy thoughts.
Looking back on them in times of distress can help put life into a lighter perspective. A healthy mentality can be achieved through the sculpting of one's mind.
A healthy state of mind is essential to a joyous life. This mindset can be achieved through exercise, personal growth, and the shaping of one's mind. This is no easy task. It requires a robust will and a genuine desire for positive change. Our minds can sometimes get the best of us by making it feel as if we are not okay.
Do not let these thoughts discourage you, your new mindset is waiting for you around the corner. It is the smallest pieces that make up the bigger picture.
Works Cited
Brilaki, Maria. “How to Think Happy Thoughts and Train Your Brain to Be Happy.” Lifehack, Lifehack, 13 Jan. 2020, www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/how-train-your-brain-happy.html.
Friedlander, Jamie. “How to Improve Your Mental Health: 9 Keys to Your Well-Being.” SUCCESS, 23 Oct. 2019, www.success.com/how-to-improve-your-mental-health/.
Hanson, Rick. “How to Trick Your Brain for Happiness.” Greater Good, Greater Good Magazine, 26 Sept. 2011, greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_trick_your_brain_for_happiness.
Harteneck, Patricia. “9 Ways You Can Improve Your Mental Health Today.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 27 Oct. 2015, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/women-s-mental-health-matters/201510/9-ways-you-can-improve-your-mental-health-today.
O'Brien, Melli. “The 7 (Proven) Keys to Improving Your Mental Health - Melli O'Brien.” Mrs. Mindfulness, 1 Apr. 2019, mrsmindfulness.com/7-keys-improve-mental-health/.
Smith, Melinda, et al. “Building Better Mental Health.” HelpGuide.org, 16 Jan. 2020, www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/building-better-mental-health.htm.
Vestan, Moreah. “6 Tricks to Feel Happy Any Time of the Day (or Night!).” World of Psychology, 8 July 2018, psychcentral.com/blog/6-tricks-to-feel-happy-any-time-of-the-day-or-night/.