On Staying Mentally and Emotionally Healthy...

So, being a PT I guess I've thought about adding helpful hints to stay healthy physically with exercise and diet.... but recently I've thought about another aspect of health and how some "exercises" have helped me with it-- mental health. Here are a couple of tips that are good to remember, or that have helped me at least.

Pondering:

Last night my husband mentioned the moon was beautiful and we stepped outside to see it shining through the clouds. Whether it be in nature or in your bedroom, taking time to think regularly is something a lot of us forget to do, myself included, but may be just what we need to chill out, gather our thoughts, and tackle that next task.

Unloading:

Another thing that we may need to do to clear our minds is simply unloading our frustrations, fears, and thoughts with someone else. Having someone you feel comfortable talking to and listening without judging you is really a blessing. Especially as women, we just want a good ol' listening ear.

Evaluating:

Evaluating my goals and schedule on a regular basis and putting it down somewhere has been helpful to me. I write them down and check back periodically on any progress that has been made. It helps me feel a sense of accomplishment and renews my energies to keep working at them.

Sleep:

I think we underestimate the importance of this daily necessity. Early to bed and early to rise - now isn't that also something our mother's told us? I am 100% more effective when I feel rested...and far less irritable...

Journaling:

Sometimes I don't really know how I feel until I write it down. And the time it takes to physically write it down incorporates the pondering for sure. For me, documenting my thoughts and feelings is quite cathartic. I like to journal when I'm travelling, then I can chronicle my adventures as well!

Exercise:

And of course, I will continue to preach the gospel of physical activity. Nothing relieves mental stress more than having to focus on self-inflicted physical pain...just kidding...but seriously :) You'll be too busy focusing on your burning muscles than the complicated thoughts in your head! It's a great stress release!

All said, life is about balance, right? I think it goes for our health too--- if we only focus on exercise and diet we may lose weight but if we forget our sanity we might lose our minds!

p.s. I will start using more pictures, I promise!