HANDCRAFTED: 3 ways to create well-being in your life
I took this photo because some days my brain just has a hard time seeing the good... it's my job to direct my mind towards it anyway
I am very open about my struggle with mental health. It’s my way of letting other people know that it is normal to struggle. I can’t tell you how rewarding it is to have someone open up to me about something they’ve struggled with, because I was open with them. There is such a beautiful opportunity to connect with one another, when we are real about our lives. For me, anxiety and depression are not anything to be embarrassed about, feel guilty about, or be ashamed of. Struggling with mental illness has been this journey that has shaped me into the person I am today, and I love me very much. I’ve learned that I am a sensitive person, I have a human brain that I have to be in relationship with to feel positive emotion, and that I have so much more opportunity to thrive when I prioritize my well-being.
Manage your mind. If we’ve spoken in the last year, and you let me bend your ear, you will have heard me sing from the rooftops about life coaching. Did you know that not every thought in your brain is true??? Did you?? I didn’t! SOOOO SOOO much of my depression has simply been because of lies I believed about myself. I’ve spent the last year working out so much of this stuff. If I could offer you one person whose work has transformed my life, what I think, how I see myself, what I am not capable of, it’s Jody Moore. Her niche is focused on helping people in the LDS church (previously mormon). However, I am not mormon, have no desire to change my faith, and the work I’ve done on myself because of her teaching has I changed my life. Her podcast, Better Than Happy, has opened my mind up, and empowered me to heal and thrive. I cannot recommend her podcast enough.
Move your body. Last year I committed to a 50 mile goal for December. I accomplished my goal, set another for January & February. Last year was the first year in years where I didn’t notice the cold and the gray. I also did not get seasonal depression. I don’t care if it’s a 10 minute walk. For me, sweating & fresh air regularly have created a tremendous boost in my well-being. For years, I thought I hate the cold. What was really true is that I don’t like being cold. When you have the right gear you can do anything!! Now I work out 5 days/week at 5:30 AM because I love how I feel when I do this. It’s become this self-sustaining habit that gives me an opportunity to be proud of myself, makes me stronger, and boosts my well-being. Win. Win. Win.
Practice Gratitude. Gratitude is for you. Negative thoughts create negative emotions and negative actions. They can start a spiral of negativity that takes you to a place where you can no longer contribute or enjoy any part of your day. When I’ve been in really intense periods or anxiety and depression, I didn’t understand that I could still make room for positive emotion, and that I am the one who would benefit when I did. No matter how you’re feeling, give this a try. Here’s one way to try: Think about the small things in your day that you are grateful for. The way your 5 year old smiled at you. The fact that your husband offered to bring your son’s lunch to school because it was forgotten this morning. The fact that the stop light near school was green today instead of red! No tardy slips today! Notice how you feel when you practice gratitude. Intentionally practicing positive emotion can interrup that negative spiral, and if you do it enough, create a positive upward spiral. If you’d like to make it a habit, I recommend thinking of 5 things you’re grateful for each time you get into the car. I know, I know gratitude is so cliche! Except that it’s cliche for a reason, there is study after study proving how powerful gratitude is!!