Life Changes - Advice and Inspiration

Allow Your Self to Be Inspired – Towards a Healthy Mind and Healthy Body

Sounds cliché right? But think about it, it’s really rather intuitive. If you allow yourself to be influenced by all the negatives in life you will suffer for it. The old adage “no new is good news” really does apply. The six o’clock news report rarely mentions the inspirational stories. It’s not news; there’s no shock value. What plays on the major news channels over and over again – 24 hour coverage of a devastating storm, the war on drugs, an athlete’s fall from grace; over and over again the same old story. Don’t you think all this mind numbing negativity has an effect on your health?

I know what you’re thinking; we can’t just hide ourselves away in a little box and pretend that the worlds a better place. No, we can’t. But we can actively seek out the stories that inspire. Look for the good that people do. Look at other peoples journeys along life’s road and seek the inspiration that they can provide you.

There really is something to the whole concept of mind over matter. If you’re negative, if you’re expecting to be disappointed – you will be disappointed. If you think about a time when you were down or depressed, you’ll see what I mean. Remember the feeling after losing that high school football championship by a field goal? Or when you lost that big contract and you didn't know how the business was going to survive? Your mental health will affect your physical health. Depression leads to a feeling of lethargy. You’ll start to focus on every little ache and pain. What else can go wrong? I think I'm falling apart!

Instead of just accepting that your bad day will inevitably be followed by the gloom and doom offered in the daily newspapers, or on the nightly news broadcast, challenge yourself to do something different. When you’ve had a bad day, seek out an inspirational story to inspire you. Go for a walk and reflect on the good things in your life, play with your dog, or spend quality time with your children. Don’t just accept the inevitability of life. You can change your mental outlook, by committing to it every day.

Positive inspiration is all around you, we just have to look a little harder. Create a routine for yourself. When you wake up in the morning picture your day, how can you ensure the day ends as positive as it began? For me writing is a cathartic experience that allows me to express my ideas and I feel better for it. If I've had a bad day, but I allow myself to get lost in my writing after the worst that life can throw at me, things will be ok. You need to find your own approach but your life will be better for it, and as your mental outlook on life improves, you’ll find your physical well-being improving as well. Give it a try, you’ll never look back.