Sometimes you need to spend energy to get energy, like they do at the Gym (when not over zealous).
Yes, just like exercise can fortify us physically and many areas of health – muscle strength, immune system, our brain and emotions, anti-aging and metabolism – there are other things we can also do to benefit these areas.
Yes, things that will benefit our energy and mood levels. In turn, we will be better physically as well.
When we are tired or stressed, we rest often. But sometimes when we are, we need to do something positive that will give us nervous energy. Some examples are to engage in some exercise of your choosing and either focus on these movements or enjoy some good positive music; go out for a drive to somewhere nice – try not to make this shopping sprees; keep a small selection of recipe books so you can fetch one, look for ingredients and enjoy making something different.....this could be a family meal or a simple but interesting snack.....maybe step outside to enjoy it; adopt the practice of going for occasional walks with someone – this actually increases your Oxytocin levels and releases Endorphins, that are happy chemicals in our body that make us feel good. You do not need a companion with you to experience endorphins but you do for oxytocin; you can also adopt a new craft or revive a past time favorite, where your mind becomes absorbed in the activity, this fosters good healthy feelings. Think of something creative you can do that disperses the negative energy.
Believe me, that at times when we are stressed emotionally, the last thing that we should do is rest because it gives us too much time to think and generate more concerns or magnify that concern. Yes? That was me included in times gone by. No, this is not beneficial but what is_ when we disturb this place of latent rest by stepping out of a room and to go out for a walk in the fresh air and sunshine; attend to a few plants you can take care of (container plants are good if you don't have a garden) send a letter, card or eCard to someone one you like or care about – this can shift the focus off yourself and move it into a more comfortable zone; do some act of kindness to someone – this is a good thought shifter, it will give you good positive energy if it is not sympathy orientated; have short spurts of spring cleaning – even if it is'nt spring – this will make you feel good about yourself when you have tidied a small area or make some furniture clean and shiny (you will feel proud of yourself). These are things most of us can do. You could check out the market days in your area and nearby areas. Then on certain days, you can go out and mix with friendly people and enjoy a different aspect of shopping.....you can go to a different store or shopping center in an area that is not local to do your shopping. Yes, rest is often a deceptive comfort zone for many when stressed and worried or emotionally disturbed. It is misleading because in that kind of rest there is no rest_ nothing could be further than the truth..... or to be gained.
But what can be gained is a true Comfot Zone by stepping out of that place into a more positive mode. I have found in recent years a secret. If you move yourself physically when thoughts disturb and focus on something to do_ like washing the dishes, rearranging a few items in one of your cupboards, putting your washing out OR taking a shower (a great favorite to many) this will shift the thought process and you will be happier during the day or evening. Reading a book or listening to music are OK but sometimes we need to be active_ it can be more condusive to changing your focus. This makes for positive energy!
Tip:
When you focus on an item of interest your concentration sets in and this disperses the thoughts that disturbed or clouded your thinking. This is a good way to switch off. Also, you can take a few relaxing deep breaths when you start to focus – it physically helps you to change modes. Give it a try....and remember ....practice makes perfect!
Some people are natural energy shifters – so to speak – just like motivated people, they can shift themselves from negative energy to positive energy. You know, resilient people who bounce back quickly or land on their feet in negative situations? For the rest of us, it is a challenge.....some more so than others......it depends on the security and happiness we've had in our upbringing sometimes OR set of circumstances we've been faced with.
This is a must for everyone_ getting acquainted with nature. Yes, nature is a great blessing to everyone and a natural anti-depressant. So are sunshine and some exercise_ they gently lift your Serotonin levels (the happy mood chemical in your brain). Be advised that there is some misleading advice in books and on the internet that tell you to snack on refined carbohydrates_ that actually gives you a burst of Serotonin and Insulin spikes (not a good combination) followed by low Serotonin, like the sugar-blues effect after lots of sweets. Such foods are a health hazzard. Yes, that advice can compromise your health and set you up for different health disorders. If you are binging on these foods, your neurotransmitters are on a roller coaster – not a good way to live. At some time, it will catch up with you. Your brain or your body will protest because of stress. If you cheat long enough, you will find your chemistry not so kind.
If you are really depressed, you could have a need for sustained Serotonin levels – where you make more – this can be achieved by taking a quality supplement of 5HTP.....SAMe.....or.....Methionine with Vit B6. For the rest of us, it is wise to keep your Serotonin and Dopamine levels balanced and don't take what you don't need, especially for dieting_ you don't need higher Serotonin, there are other ways to benefit you better. That just creates a problem for you. As a result of that faulty advice in books and the internet, you can become quite unbalanced. Please do not request SSRI Meds (anti-depressants) from your MD like some do for weight reduction because over time they create a shortage of Serotonin (the SSRIs keep recycling the same supply of Serotonin over and over again) plus they're very addictive and hard to come off of – that would far outweigh the time you want to diet, I'm sure. In fact, some people actually put on weight with SSRIs, I don't care how safe the MDs say they are!
Caution: never mix any of the above supplements with an SSRI anti-depressant because that can be devastating, it's quite dangerous.
The latest research tells me that some people with Clinical Depression are actually deficient in Dopamine (another happy brain chemical) not Serotonin. This is a good discovery but upsetting for some people on Serotonin type medications because their true need is not being addressed. Mds get all their information from the Manufacturers of Medical Drugs and sadly to say, they make billions of dollars from these Meds. Most of us would do well to replenish both these biochemicals through foods we can add to our diet. I am looking into this at present and can post an article in this blog for those who are interested.
For most of us, all we need to do is focus on things that shifts our attention.....engage in some activity that makes for positive thoughts.....do something we really enjoy.....to shift our energy
and in doing so, we can enjoy more positive energy. Please remember the unmatched benefits of nature, sunshine and fresh air. Life can be a blessing.
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