“If you are depressed you are living in the past.
If you are anxious you are living in the future.
If you are at peace you are living in the present.”
―
depression
Today’s Power Thought ~ Facing Hardships
True confidence has its genesis in hardship. When we face our hardships we have several choices, we can run away, we can fall into a deep depression and become paralyzed, or, we can suck it up and face the hardship head.on. The only way through a hardship is to face it. When we face our hardships head-on we grow stronger, wiser, and more confident.
Something to Think About
What do you do when you think you can go on? You shower, get dressed, put on a smile, no matter if it’s fake, and get going. There’s no other way, otherwise we’ll slip into a depression that will need the jaws of life to yank us out. The more we move out of ourselves toward others or other projects, the more we refuel our tank. It’s not easy, that’s for sure, but it’s the only way to breathe life back into us. To go on, we have to keep on going on. Never quit. Never give up.
Something to Think About
Do you get depressed easily? Does life get you down? It happens at times to all of us. When we reframe our thinking and understand that each moment is a new beginning, we can let go of our depression or the sense of feeling down. We can open the door and walk into the sunshine. Bring on the next moment, It’s going to be better.
🍎 Health Hack: Good Health and Self-Compassion are Linked
Do you treat yourself as well as you treat your friends and family?
That simple question is the basis for a burgeoning new area of psychological research called self-compassion — how kindly people view themselves. People who find it easy to be supportive and understanding to others, it turns out, often score surprisingly low on self-compassion tests, berating themselves for perceived failures like being overweight or not exercising.
The research suggests that giving ourselves a break and accepting our imperfections may be the first step toward better health. People who score high on tests of self-compassion have less depression and anxiety, and tend to be happier and more optimistic. Preliminary data suggest that self-compassion can even influence how much we eat and may help some people lose weight.
🍎 Health Hack: Foods to Boost Your Mood
Good Mood Foods
There are some specific foods to keep an eye on to boost your mood:
- Fruits and Vegetables — An apple a day keeps the doctor away–and maybe the psychiatrist, too. As noted, fruits and veg have been linked to higher levels of happiness.3
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids – This is the good stuff, found in foods like fish and nut oils. Low Omega-3 fatty acids have been correlated to depression and impulsivity. Getting plenty of this in your diet keeps your levels high, that’s a good thing.2
- Chocolate – As a special treat, chocolate may have properties that improve mood and even reduce tension. But remember, the key is to choose real chocolate (dark is best), and in moderation.2
Health Hack from the American Heart Association
Health Hack: Food & Mood
Choose Foods That Will Upgrade Your Mood
There may be a close relationship between diet and mood. In 2016, researchers found a diet with a high glycemic load may cause increased symptoms of depression and fatigue. A diet with a high glycemic load includes refined carbohydrates, such as those found in soft drinks, cakes, white bread, and biscuits. Vegetables, whole fruit, and whole grains have a lower glycemic load. While a healthy diet may improve overall mood, it is essential for people with depression to seek medical care.
Source
Stress Hack: Attitude Makes A Difference
You Can Have Stress – Don’t Let Stress Have You
Stress is inevitable. But its cumulative effects over time are what damage your health. Chronic stress has been linked to a host of issues, including anxiety and depression, weight gain, inflammation, digestive issues, fertility problems, even poor memory. The way to avoid repercussions is by dealing with stress in the moment, as it happens.
Source: Lara Fielding in The 4 Pillars of Health (Stephanie Booth, author)
The idea is to become psychologically flexible—or in other words, to learn to balance your exposure to stress with self-soothing efforts. I often equate this to standing on a surfboard, on top of a bowling ball. You can lean into your uncomfortable emotions, and then discipline yourself to pull out of that discom- fort. Being able to toggle back and forth like that will make you more resilient.
Research shows that it’s not stress itself but our attitudes and beliefs about stress that can make it “toxic.” When you feel powerless, that’s when stress becomes harmful. So it’s really not the amount of stress you have in your life that matters. It’s the way you ride it out.
Health Hack: Optimism May Be Your Best Health Insurance
“In some studies, researchers have concentrated on the link between optimism and specific medical conditions. DeSylva and Kern tell us that a heart full of joy and gladness can banish trouble and strife — and now scientists tell us that optimism may help the heart itself. In one study, doctors evaluated 309 middle-aged patients who were scheduled to undergo coronary artery bypass surgery. In addition to a complete pre-operative physical exam, each patient underwent a psychological evaluation designed to measure optimism, depression, neuroticism, and self-esteem. The researchers tracked all the patients for six months after surgery. When they analyzed the data, they found that optimists were only half as likely as pessimists to require re-hospitalization. In a similar study of 298 angioplasty patients, optimism was also protective; over a six-month period, pessimists were three times more likely than optimists to have heart attacks or require repeat angioplasties or bypass operations.”
Source
