Optimal Health
What is health?
The date is Jan 9, 2022 and I’m reviewing my why and the reason I do this! I aspire towards optimal health. Let’s break down what it means to be healthy since societies actions show that we believe vaccines and boosters for a virus with less than 1% mortality rate are what we should be focused on right now.
I, on the other hand am focused on being the change I want to see in the world. I may not be perfect but I wonder what the world would look like if everyone focused on what was actually important. I whole heartedly believe rising in consciousness is important. So first, we must undo the destruction done on our minds & bodies.
Let’s break health down into 3 categories; Mental, Emotional & Physical.
Mental health peaks when you can achieve and sustain “peace of mind”. Peace from the constant, never slowing mental train of positive and negative thoughts all day and night. This mental state is unlocked by satisfying your basic human needs.
Research shows that emotional health is a skill. That being said, there are steps you can take to master emotional health and be happier.
The topic of mental / emotional health is near and dear to my heart because back in 2018 and 2019 I had trouble managing my life and my challenges. Notice I said challenges, not problems. I don’t see problems, but rather challenges as an opportunity or test to overcome and come out a different, stronger, better, and more conscious human being. Emotional health is keeping challenges in perspective and having the ability to bounce back from setbacks.
Mental and emotional health are important parts of overall health. People who are emotionally healthy are aware of their thoughts and feelings, and can control their behaviours. They are able to cope with life’s challenges, feel good about themselves and have good relationships.
Many many people are sick in their brains. Some people feel like they’re at rock bottom. But the funny thing is, there is no such thing as rock bottom. If you can look down, then you haven’t hit the bottom at all. I remember back in 2016 when I first became an entrepreneur, I was so scared of hitting rock bottom. I looked at it as an inevitable. Every single successful entrepreneur had a story where their lives were absolute turmoil and shit, whether that was multiple arrests, or inability to pay rent for almost a year. Like living on the edge of for-closure for several months. Imagine that amount of stress! That’s grey hair level stress!
Now, being emotionally healthy does not mean you are happy all the time. It means you are aware of your emotions. You can deal with them whether positive or negative. Emotionally healthy people still feel stress, anger and sadness. But they know how to manage their negative feelings. They can tell when a problem.. I mean challenge, is more than they can handle on their own. They also know when to seek help from a medical professional. Below is my 9 step method to optimize emotional health.
Become aware of your emotions and emotional reactions - Take a step back and observe yourself. Notice what makes you sad, frustrated, or angry. Then create goals and a plan around changing those things or removing yourself from that environment
2. Express your feelings in appropriate ways - Let people close to you know when something is bothering you. Bottling up feelings of sadness or anger adds to the stress
3. Think before you act - This one is simple. Give yourself time to think, and be calm before you do something you may regret. When have you ever made a good decision out of haste?
4. Manage your stress - Either change the situations causing you stress or learn relaxation methods to cope with stress. This could include deep breathing, meditation or exercise. Exercise is my favourite because it releases endorphins and leaves you looking physically better. Get out into nature or near plants, trees, and under the sun. If you live in a depressing place that’s cloudy, at the very least you can drink 3 - 4 litres of water a day.
5. Strive for balance - One of my mentors Jim Rohn says, when you are at work, work. And when you play, play. Don’t mix the two. I remember when I felt like I was breaking down and burning out, I was working 7 days a week. I was getting shit done, but in hindsight, I was not all that productive. I was burning out. Prioritize rest to adequate recovery.
6. Take care of your physical health - If you are over weight, you need to expend more energy than you consume. Calorie f*king deficit! Shout out James Smith PT for that ground breaking knowledge. Reduce portion sizes and Eat ALOT of dark leafy green foods. Move your body. It is impossible to be depressed while moving like jogging, cycling, brisk walking, jumping, jacking…
7. Connect with others - We are social creatures and we NEED to connect to other humans. Otherwise we go insane. “We are here to connect” - Brené Brown
8. Find purpose and meaning - You absolutely must do things you enjoy. We live in an interesting time where we can spend the majority of our time doing things that we love, if we choose. Whether that’s volunteering, being with family, or even working. Do the things that bring you alive! Money follows the generation of value. So find purpose and meaning in generating value for others.
9. Stay positive - love ordinariness. Focus on the good things going on in your life. Forgive yourself for making mistakes, and forgive others. Spend time with healthy, positive people. Delete social media if it is not serving you.
Something key to consider is that people who have good emotional health can still have emotional problems or mental illness. Mental illness often has a physical cause. This could be a chemical imbalance in the brain or result of physical abuse. Stress and problems with family, work, or school can trigger mental illness or make it worse.
Do stuff you care about for good emotional / mental health. If you have ongoing challenges, talk to your family doctor so they may help you find the right treatment.
Decide to make genuine health a priority. When you make a decision, the universe sends gifts and tests your way. Your reticular activating system starts to notice what is yours, or what is present in your mind. For a lot of us human people, we get stuck working out the tests presented to us, and our well being suffers because we get lost in these tests of life. What I mean by tests are for example, short comings you have to overcome. Develop mental strength and persevere.
Physical health involves maintaining a stable weight and moving pain free. A lot of physical pain may be reduced by fixing muscular imbalances and improving joint mobility. Good physical health can be attained by improving fitness levels. Look at some of your favourite athletes for inspiration.
This one is easy, JUST MOVE DAILY. Train with me online now for $1 for the first month if you need a fitness trainer. This offer of limited to the first 100 to sign up for my new fitness app. About 90 spots remain while I write this article.
Optimum health is very individual. But these are key indicators I look out for
1. Your inflammation levels are in check (Check out turmeric)
2. You have a balanced microbiome (eat real, whole foods consistently to start)
3. You have the "longevity personality traits."
People that live long are like this
Conscientious
Open
Emotionally stable
Friendly
Emotionally expressive
Have energy and stamina
I find that my clients who are lacking in these six categories tend to have a more difficult health journey.
4. You don’t have brain-fog
5. Your hormones are balanced
6. Nutrient deficiencies are a thing of your past
7. You don't get "hangry."
8. You have a high libido
9. Your weight is stable
10. You've learned to love healthy food
11. You aren't on any unnecessary meds. (Experiment w/ naturopathic solns)
12. You have clear skin
13. You limit your sitting
14. You have a good relationship with stress
15. You sleep through the night
16. You don't get wound up doing simple activities
17. You sweat six times a week 💦
18. You don't have insatiable cravings
19. Strong clear teeth 🦷
You can take action on some of these indicators today. And be patient with yourself. This human life is a marathon, not a sprint. And there is no competition with others. Competition with others makes you bitter. Competition with your self makes you better. #StayActive
