S1 Ep 18: Mindfulness and Mental Health

Mental health is our state of mind Everyone on the planet deals with matters of health, wellness, and wellbeing. Along those lines, everyone has four primary areas of health to consider – mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual. Mental health is where our overall wellness and wellbeing live. They are products of mental health. Nobody accepts that matters of mental health are just as normal and regular as the common cold. So why do we disregard mental health? It all comes down to fear Fear, at its core, is meant to keep us safe. We live in a fear-based society. But all those fears are intangible. Yet nearly all of these are not just intangible – but blown way out of proportion. As Paulo Coelho says in The Alchemist, “Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.” If fear is a matter of the heart, how does it tie into mental health? Because it is used to defy logic, reason, and other products of the mind. Fear overwhelms our thoughts by ramping up our feelings. There is no need to fear mental health matters The truth is that the intangible fear weaponized in our society can be overcome. But not with some grand proclamation, a revolution, or a charismatic leader showing us the way out. When we work on our mental health, we establish a new base of reason, logic, and mindfulness. We actively strive to do something about our anxiety, depression, fear, and other elements impacting our mental health. From that stable place, we can more easily address our physical, emotional, and spiritual health. How? Physical health – When we stabilize our mental health, we can more clearly see and make the choices to have a better diet and more effective exercise – thus improving our physical health. Emotional health – Because mental health opens us to have more logic, reason, and mindfulness, we’re better able to control our emotions – rather than let them control us. Spiritual health – We can choose clearly - rather than blindly - what faith and belief we follow. Also – we can recognize if our spiritual choices have a negative impact outside of ourselves. Mental health matters can drive everything in our lives. And it's time to emphasize and expand on this to gain more recognition for how it makes all of us better - and is nothing to be feared. What is your attitude towards mental health matters? Are you open and honest about your own – or fearful of stigma, taboo, and the like? This is a choice. And I would encourage choosing to be more open and honest. Why? Because the more we openly and honestly share our own mental health matters – the more we encourage others to do the same. This week’s Applied Guidance for Mindfulness Tool: Mental health is serious. Ignoring and/or disregarding it will lead to all sorts of less-than-desirable places. This week’s tool is about being mindful of our mental health matters. This involves recognizing and acknowledging the state of our being, mentally. To do so, please write down and answer these questions: ·        What are you thinking about? ·        What feelings are your thoughts causing you to feel? ·        Do you feel logical and reasoned or illogical and unreasonable? ·        How do you feel? These questions and answers make you mindful, here and now, of your mental health. That helps you to balance, center, and use your mental health to improve your overall health, wellness, and wellbeing. Author Website: https://mjblehart.com Email: [email protected] Instagram Twitter Facebook Blogs: titaniumdon.com and mjblehart.medium.com Cover artist Fe Mahoney: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TaliasInspirations