Hi Everyone,
This month, our theme is mental health, so I will share some of my favorite ways to look at mental health that aren’t always obvious. This primarily covers minor mental health issues like stress and includes these five main points:
1. Set a small goal // Reach a small goal // Track a small goal
This simple equation is one of the keys to life because you can start seeing and feeling results from it in literally a few minutes. Setting a goal helps you start feeling more in control of your destiny. Reaching the goal leads to a positive result. Tracking the goal (crossing it off a ToDo list, moving it to a completed section) typically releases the neurotransmitter dopamine, making you want to do this again. I tell people that if you start doing this over and over and over with goals in all areas of your life, then your odds of success go way up. This includes the mental health benefit that you will feel better overall, and you will feel better about yourself!
2. Physical activity
The great part about setting goals around physical activity is that physical activity can help dissipate the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is great in small amounts to help you focus and take action, but it can be damaging over time in chronic amounts. This is why I love recommending that people take fitness breaks throughout their day, if possible, even if it is practical fitness like cleaning the house faster, walking to your car faster, or any other type of movement. This can include yoga and stretching.
3. Organizing
When I am feeling overwhelmed, my go-to after a fitness break is an organization break. I will often write down, “Organize office 5 minutes” as a goal, and then tackle whatever is causing me stress as the next goal. This small reset both takes me through the goal-setting process and results in a more organized office. Both of these make me feel better about tackling a bigger issue.
4. Herbs like ashwagandha
This is a more advanced option you might want to research or ask a health professional. I was educated that herbs are like concentrated vegetables, meaning they have the potential to be powerful for good benefits, but also that they should be taken seriously like medication. This is especially true if you are taking any medication or have health issues, because there can be adverse effects from combining herbs with some medications. One of my favorite herbs for this is ashwagandha, but there are others in this category as well.
5. Be part of a community
Being alone is tough. It’s great to find a community where you feel welcome and comfortable and can ask for help when you need it, and give help to others. This connection to other people is a big part of life. The PeopleOne Health community is a great example of this. I have seen so many examples of members asking for help when something stressful happens in life, and then paying it forward to others. I tell people that this is a way to catch future health issues right there in the moment. This type of support can prevent someone from developing mental health issues, stress-eating, gaining weight from stress-eating, and then developing health issues like Type 2 diabetes.
I post regularly in the PeopleOne Health community and would be happy to see you there!
If you haven’t connected with me yet in the community, here is my profile (you need to be logged in). I’d love to connect! Let me know if you have any questions about any of these ideas.
Have a great month and happy spring!
Chris “SparkGuy” Downie
PeopleOne Health Co-founder & Motivation Expert
