October 8, 2008
Negativity sells. It must, as that's all we
ever see when we open the paper or turn on the news.
- Dow Falls
Below 10,000
- Gloves
Come Off on the Campaign Trail
- US Bank
Failures Almost Certain to Increase Next Year
- Are You
Going Down with the Gloom and Doom?
Yes, my headline
is negative too. But in my defense, I understand negativity sells better
than positive headlines (unfortunately), and I wanted to compel you to read
the positive steps we can take during challenging times.
Yes, economically
we're in a challenging spot, yes politics can be an ugly game, but come on,
all this negativity is to the brain like a steady dose of Big Macs is to the
heart - very destructive! Seriously, how depressing is it to begin your day
with these thoughts, images and perceptions?
It's Time We
Take Control!
Why not focus on
the fact that we have a tremendous economic system and it always has, and
always will, rebound. We've had significant affluent times in the past and
will experience tremendous growth again in the future. The market will
rebound, as will housing and banking. And, we WILL learn valuable lessons
from our current challenges to allow us to gain the wisdom to prevent
similar challenges. We always do.
In the
meantime, here's what we can do to stay mentally, emotionally and physically
strong and fit:
1. Begin your
day with positive thoughts, words and mental images.
I know, some people
may say this is hogwash, but all of the successful people I know feed their
brains with positive information or affirmations each day. Simply
establishing and visualizing your goals is a positive influx to your brain.
Reading something inspirational works equally as well as does listening to a
motivational or educational book on CD during your commute. Feed your mind
the positive; guard your mind against negative thoughts as if you were
protecting your house from a robber. Both can take everything you have.
2. Focus on
making better nutrition choices.
What we eat directly
impacts our energy, emotions and mental outlook. Low fat proteins, whole
grain carbs, and fruits and veggies optimally fuel our body and mind.
3.
Get regular exercise.
Hundreds of studies have reviewed the relationship between
exercise
and mental state. An article titled "The Influence of Exercise on Mental
Health" published in the Sports Research Digest suggested that exercise
decreases depression more than relaxation training or casual recreation,
both regularly accepted treatments for depression, and suggests that
exercise
rivals that of psychotherapy. Regular exercise significantly stimulates our
"feel-good" brain chemicals of serotonin and dopamine while keeping the
stress hormone cortisol in balance.
On the contrary,
if you don't feel "good," everything feels more difficult.
Getting your workout in,
eating healthy foods, or going for a walk or jog feel as if they are
overwhelming tasks when you're not "up". These are those moments where you
just have to pick yourself up by your bootstraps and just do it. Shortly
thereafter, the good feelings kick in.
Now more than
ever, it's time we take control over how we feel. We can't control our
politicians, our economy, the stock market or the price of gasoline.
However, we always determine what we focus on in any moment in time. Focus
on what you want, feed your mind with positives, strive for healthy
nutrition and be consistent with your exercise. You'll feel mentally,
emotionally and physically strong, confident and empowered to conquer any
challenge that may come your way.
Take a moment to see how our
friends get "Fired Up"!
Your friend in fitness,
Brian Calkins
NSCA-CPT, ACE
