We’ve all had devastating experiences of losing friends. Sometimes totally unexpected, while other times after losing long battles to preventative disorders. Saying goodbye is never an easy task. We look to cherish just one more moment at their side with regrets of things left unsaid or undone. We let them go with our body, but not our mind. We hold on, hit replay to the musical brilliance we shared, and weep.
Through the pain of loss, we gain a new appreciation for every precious day; we get to see another sunrise or the innocent sparkle in a child’s eyes. One more incredible day to appreciate the feel of the wind in our hair as we drive forward, moving toward new goals. In other words, our brain takes simple liberties, when it feels better, to remain laser-focused on amazing mountains to climb. And, as we climb to the end of a chapter in our life, a new door opens.
Why stay positive in times of lockdown? Because finding PLUSES, (looking at what changes you can make) in chaotic moments is so much more fulfilling than depressive thoughts. I challenge you to try to sleep well, while feeling the weight on your shoulders, from depression. It just doesn’t happen.
The Emotional Handler
How we handle emotional health, (depression, anxiety, stress) can be a critical factor for understanding destructive relationships, religion, belief systems, abuse, or degeneration from preventable illnesses.
As you might expect, most of the goals men and women set are around improving health. In the last few years almost everyone has set one or more health goals including eating better (77%), exercise more (75%), lose weight (66%), reduce stress (60%) or get more sleep (58%).
“The American Psychological Association (APA) recently commissioned a research study on “stress and willpower in America to understand American perceptions of stress and the motivation to make lifestyle and behavior changes.” “Almost everyone they surveyed (93%) had goals to change some aspect of their behavior. Lack of willpower is said to be the top reason people give for falling short of their goals even though 71% of the adults surveyed believed that willpower can be learned.”
But, is it all about willpower? Not really!
It’s about taking hold of a higher power deep inside, that I call well-power. It’s about knowing who is the handler of your emotions.
Are foods or medications your go-to when you are stressed, depressed, worried, and isolated? Now that you are spending more time at home are you caught, in a food or drug stupor, snacking every hour watching television?
Having the mindset to make wiser choices is about strength found in well-power. (you want to be well) Because stress breaks the connection between our emotions and our wellbeing, willpower is always put on the back burner.
Emotions Sabotage Immunity
If emotions (moods), rule what we eat (junk foods), we are more likely to suffer from chronic anxiety, HBP, confusion, heart disorders, immune deficiencies, IBS, lethargy, and mental decline. Building immunity with proper nutrition decreases death by preventable illnesses and should be a priority for everyone, but somehow it’s not embraced.
Great nutrition feeds our mind and encompasses every part of us, including our emotional side.
Years of old habits, conflicting attitudes, beliefs, or outlandish behaviors can damage immunity, cause illnesses, and lead to increased bouts of depression or cognitive dissonance. The cognitive dissonance theory, originally proposed by Festinger (1957), was to explain a series of findings from experiments on self-justification. The original theory proposed that natural human motivation is to seek consistency. Facts are; our self-esteem is threatened by inconsistency! With inconsistencies come confusion, immune deficiencies, and dark thoughts. This is where the suicide rate can rise.
Confusion keeps us vulnerable to attacks on our health, and our children’s health. We can’t seem to decipher who is actually promoting confusion and inconsistencies that prevent health. No, this isn’t double talk. This is real, and it’s happening right now.
Prescriptions for anxiety medications have increased in the last two weeks. In the end, emotional instability can show up as psychosis.
A psychotic way of thinking is that a government can fix a virus or build immunity in their citizens if they crash their country’s economy!
Connie Rogers is a Certified Health Coach & Brain Health Coach.
She is the author of Memory Stealers on Amazon and video.
Connie believes health and wellness are established with proper nutrition, fitness, and mindfulness. Connie takes a natural and holistic, common sense approach to rebuilding wellbeing from the ground up.
