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How Your Energy Changes Everything

I am fascinated by the energy that emanates from people, and I always wonder if they are aware of the energy they are creating, how it affects others, and what it can do for them.

I can give you an example of what I mean by describing a few interactions I had today. We went to our local Waffle House where we usually have breakfast on Sunday. We know most of the waitresses and one of our favorites came over to wait on us. She was excited to see us, and during our meal, she spent a lot of time talking with us. Her energy was positive, and it lifted our spirits.

We then went to Walmart to pick up some things. When we checked out it was obvious the person helping us was not happy to be there. Who knows what she was dealing with, but I don’t think her negative energy was making anything better. As we left, a man was entering who was full of joy. He had a pep in his step, and he looked so happy. I could feel his energy affecting me.

Positive energy can come in different forms. It can be encouragement, inspiration, attitude, positive thoughts, or words, manifesting, and prayer. Remember that you might not be able to always control what happens to you, but you have the choice about how to react. When students would walk into my classroom in a bad mood, I would tell them it was up to them to turn things around by changing their energy.

Would you like to know how to make it work for you? Here are a few things to try.

· Speak what you want into existence. Voicing your dreams and desires gives them power. Say what you want as if it will happen.

· Make a vision board. Put pictures on a bulletin board that are symbols of what you would like to see in your future. I would love to have a lake house, so I have a picture of one on my board.

· Have a positive energy journal. Every week, write down goals for the week. At the end of the week, highlight the ones you achieved in green, and mark what you have not achieved yet in yellow.

· Make energy a game. Whenever you find yourself being negative, turn it around to be positive.

· Actively find the positive and be grateful.

· Show an interest in others. Infect them with positivity.

· Put up positive notes. Post positive thoughts around your house or send notes to others.

Good luck using positive energy. I hope you will see how it can change your

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Boosting Your Mental Health

We all have days when we are stuck in a funk. There might not be any reason for it, or we might be dealing with some heavy things, but either way, there are some positive, healthy ways to soothe our mental state. Here are a few.

Acknowledge your feelings.

I have had several moments in my life when emotions overwhelmed me and I felt as if it would be too hard to feel everything at once, so I pushed the emotions back. It would have been healthier to release the emotions and deal with them because denying them only caused stress and anxiety.

Seek out support

Don’t be ashamed when you are struggling. Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. Feeling supported by friends and family or your community can make a huge difference. If you need outside help many organizations can offer support. You are not alone.

Laugh

You cannot stay sad for long when you are laughing. Do something fun with friends, or go online and watch funny videos. Laughter can lift your mood in no time.

Move

Movement is a great way to clear your mind and relieve stress. I do my best problem-solving when I’m running.

Sleep

When I was a teacher I saw how powerful adequate sleep was as well as how harmful sleep deprivation could be. Sometimes the best remedy for feeling down is resting.

Food

Food is love and fuel. A good meal can lift your mood. Cooking is soothing, and all those great smells will bring your family into the kitchen with you.

Self-care

Doing small things to improve yourself will make you feel better about yourself. When you feel good you will be more motivated and productive.

Music

Music has healing powers. You can find the right song if you need to unwind and chill or shake your booty.

Go outside

Nature is restorative. Walking around and soaking up what is around you can calm your mood.

Find what works for you, but be intentional about keeping your mental health strong.

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Mental Health and Running

No one would argue that running is a great sport to help us get fit and healthy. Physical benefits range from heart health, strengthening and toning the body, and weight loss. The physical benefits are so obvious that we might forget that the mental health effects are just as evident.

In the article, Whole Brain Health, Amrita Sharma PhD says, “When we do high-intensity exercise our heart rate increases, supplying more blood flow to the brain. The increased heart rate also increases our breathing, making us breathe harder and faster. As a result, more oxygen is supplied in our bloodstream, and more oxygen reaches our brains. This leads to neurogenesis, which is the production of neurons. Research has indicated that physical Exercise increases neurogenesis in the hippocampus, a brain area important for learning and memory. Additionally, Exercise also influences the neurotrophins, it’s the family of proteins that aids in neuron survival, development, and function. This leads to greater brain plasticity and as a result better memory and learning. Regular physical activity lowers the risk of developing cognitive impairment, such as dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. This improvement from the exercise is for people with normal and also impaired cognitive health, including people with ADHD, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.”

Matt Vilardo tells how his running journey started when his dad asked him to come for a run. He thought this was odd because his dad was not a runner, but he went and enjoyed that time with his dad. The next day, Matt’s dad died in the attack on the Trade Center. He has used running to deal with depression and anxiety ever since. He says that running helps him to be a better husband and dad. Here is what he says about running. “According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly one in five Americans will suffer from a mental illness during their lifetime. I view running as a strong, first-line treatment for many problems that we face today. In fact, in other countries, exercise is used as a first-line medical treatment as opposed to just prescribing a pill. And that’s not to say that there aren’t many, many circumstances that require more than just physical exercise, but if you can combine running into your treatment, the benefits will be amplified.” You can read Matt’s story here. https://www.stillirun.org/post/how-running-for-mental-health-helped-me-through-grief-and-depression?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4MjgprbEgwMVpJ9aBR1VkwOPEAAYAiAAEgII_vD_BwE

Can exercise be medicine? The answer for myself would be yes. Running has always been what I turned to when life became overwhelming. It has been a healthy escape and a way to calm my stress. Sometimes I just need to get away from everything and recharge.

Running is restorative. There is something spiritual about being out in nature. I can work out problems, or I can think about nothing. I have had friends comment that I smile when I run, and that is proof to me that running makes me happy.

Running is a mood booster because you can see a transformation in your body if you are consistent, and the physical improvements will improve your mental health.

I am the most creative when I am out running, which isn’t always convenient. Something about running opens my mind, and I come up with tons of ideas for writing.

Running can also provide an individual with community. We can feel more connected and supported when we have friends.

I am so thankful for running because it has kept me sane in the tougher times. I hope more people will give it a try.

References

Whole Brain Health by Amrita Sharma PhD, July 2020 https://wholebrainhealth.org/exercise-and-brain-health/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4MjgprbEgwMVpJ9aBR1VkwOPEAAYASAAEgJ45fD_BwE

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The Mental Struggles of Running

You have probably heard runners say that running is more mental than physical because you can convince your body to do almost anything, but your mind does not always want to cooperate. You often have to work just as hard on your mental conditioning as you do the physical. Here are a few situations when mental demons have to be conquered.

You start to find excuses not to run

It’s too cold, too hot, you didn’t sleep well, you are too busy, you could use the time to read the new spreadsheet, (Okay, maybe that will never come up.) The list can go on, but if you make your run part of your daily schedule and head off to do it without even thinking about it you will find it easier.

The negative voices start to whisper

They sound like this, “I’m tired, my body is achy, I am so hungry. How can I be running this slowly I don’t think I can run as far as I want to today.” Tell yourself you will run a few more minutes and see how you feel. Distract yourself by thinking of anything besides the fact you are running. Sometimes you only need to run through the mental wall.

One bad run equals your doom as a runner

Everyone has bad runs. There are some days when you should probably rest, or something is a little off, and the run doesn’t go well. It is not the end of your running career.

I can’t run distance

Distance running is a chance to use your mental games. Divide the distance into small sections so it doesn’t feel like you are taking on the whole distance simultaneously. There is a 5k race we do (I know that’s not really distance running!) and this works well for me. We have run it so many times that I know exactly where each mile marker is, and that makes it seem so much shorter to me.

Tell yourself to run one mile at a time. I had a friend doing her first three-mile race, and she was afraid she couldn’t do it. She asked me to run the race with her. She said she wanted to run a mile and then she would walk the rest. I told her to set the pace and I would run next to her. At one mile, I said, “Let’s see if we can go a little further.” I kept talking with her to distract her and before we knew it we were at mile two. I said, “If we run one more mile you will have run the whole race. Let’s see what we can do.” She ran the whole race and placed third in her age group. I can still hear her scream when her name was called.

Run without expectations

I am very competitive. I know this because on several occasions I have almost wrecked myself trying to pass a woman who I thought was in my age group, only to find out she wasn’t. Lately, I have shifted my goals for racing. When I stand at the starting line I tell myself to enjoy the race because it doesn’t always have to be about coming away with a medal. There have been races where I couldn’t tell you anything about the course because I was so focused. Last Saturday, we ran a race in the country that went past old barns, meadows, and wide-open spaces. It was so peaceful, and I was more focused on what was around me instead of my running. Taking the pressure off can make the run more fun.

I need to walk

I walk a few steps to catch my breath several times in each race, and I believe walking can help you go farther, but if you are running for time you probably want to keep running. There are several tricks you can use. Tell yourself you will run to the next something. (you pick the object) Make it a game to see how many runners you can pass during the race.

If you condition yourself to have the same mental strength as your physical ability you will be unstoppable!