“Your mind is like the operating system of a super computer which gets programmed over time by your own environment and experiences… You can, however, learn to reprogram the mind… you can become the programmer of your own reality.”
-Niraj Naik, author
With all the negativity we see in the world, it can be easy to fall into a state of victimhood.
It feels as though we’re simply victims of all the vagaries of life — war, disease, tragedy, fear, crime, poverty, and the list goes on. With more technological advancements, we’ve pulled back and away from that previously tribal community into a life of social isolation.
Due to a combination of these factors, many people will retreat behind negative health habits such as comfort eating, social isolation, and relying on pharmaceutical drugs to treat symptoms of illness.
But with 300 million people in the world suffering from depression, these actions are clearly not the solution. So often we tend to focus on the symptoms of problems instead of the source.
But, by changing our perspective and learning to view life from a more optimistic lens, we can start making lifestyle changes. We can start taking responsibility and be in charge of the future.
Reality does not have to be depressing, painful, and hopeless. You can live a life of positivity, health, and gratitude!
The power is in your hands. In her book, A Mind of Your Own, Dr. Kelly Brogan states that we are often the cause of our own distress. And if we control our own distress, then we can control our own peace and happiness.
She also believes that “The interconnectedness of your gut, brain, immune, and hormonal systems is impossible to unwind.”
You can’t separate the body from the mind. With that, we must treat our physical body well by giving it good food, sleep, and exercise. We must treat our minds and spiritual bodies with just as much care. All it takes is that choice and that first step.
Don’t discount the basic and simple tips for healthy changes that we all know — eat good foods, sleep well, and exercise. People often brush those off or don’t actually know what they mean.
Meditation is The Word
You can barely escape the M-word these days, but its importance cannot be stressed enough. There is so much research out there to support the amazing physical and psychological improvements that occur as a result of regular meditation.
It can actually help change the brain’s chemical structure, promoting a greater quality of life. Give your mind and body the rest and space needed to refresh and jump-start your new brain program.
Consider using the Yogic technique of Pranayama, more specifically extended exhalations, to help reduce stress in your life. It helps encourage relaxation by sparking the parasympathetic nervous system into action.
“The simple act of breathing and attending to that breath may be a panacea strong enough to replace your current prescription.” (Brogan, 2017, p. 169).
See Also: Questions and Answers: A Beginners Guide to Meditation
Detox
In order to free yourself from the control of harmful toxins, detox your physical body. Just like beginning a practice of meditation, start first with foods and focus on non-GMO, natural, organic foods.
Reduce your intake of inflammation-triggering foods such as gluten and dairy and reduce your pharmaceutical drugs where possible – like that headache pill. Add in probiotics and herbal supplements to guide your body back to its normal cycle: valerian (sleep aid), milk thistle (liver cleanser), and turmeric (detoxifier).
Dietary changes
Yes, we’ve heard it all before: food is our best medicine. Let’s just say it once more. Food is our best medicine.
Use it to heal the years of damage and inflammation. Add plant power by focusing on getting enough raw vegetables in your diet. As mentioned above, get rid of processed (food in a package), inflammation-causing foods. Go back to nature and find foods that not only cleanse your body but strengthen it, too.
Find a new environment
Detox your physical body as well as your mind and spirit. Remove yourself from toxic situations that aren’t helping you to be better. It will take time, of course, but it’s good to start evaluating your environment and how you can take charge of it. Make the changes you need to start on a more positive path.
Quality sleep is essential
Unfortunately, sleep is so interconnected with everything else and can turn into a vicious cycle.
If you eat inflammation-causing foods, it could affect your sleep cycle. If you don’t sleep, it can affect your mood state and overall quality of life.
Try to create a regular sleep cycle and avoid the daytime fatigue that not only makes you less efficient but also drains you of positive energy. It’s no secret that there is a link between sleep quality and depression, and studies show that 90% of depression patients have problems with their sleep quality.
See Also: Importance Of Sleep: How It Can Put Your Health In Serious Jeopardy
Exercise your way to happiness
Exercise can cure a multitude of ailments. An exercise session can turn a bad day into a good one. It clears away that mental fog, promotes better sleep, balances hormones, reduces stress, increases blood and lymph circulation, and so much more.
Stop avoiding it. You might not enjoy it, but your body will thank you. Plus, you won’t regret it when you do.
Don’t isolate
Alone time is great, but too much can seriously affect your health and well-being. Family and friends are sometimes spread out in totally different parts of the world these days. It seems just fine with how easy communication is these days. But, that can leave us with a feeling of disconnect if we lose our face-to-face connection with people we care about.
Another one of the problems is a disconnect from true Spirit. We’ve been told how mainstream religion is supposed to work, but it’s often lacking in true and fulfilling connection.
Of course, diet, sleep, and exercise will help to drastically transform your health and programming but don’t forget to find a community and environment where you feel you belong. It’s so easy to hide away when feeling depressed and hopeless in our difficult world and time. But, reach out. Find people who can be by your side as you make changes to your programmed reality to achieve a better and more fulfilling life.
Be your own impetus
How can we achieve purpose, satisfaction, and happiness in our lives if we’re constantly in fear of danger? Or if we are constantly feeling overwhelmed by negativity, socially isolated, placed into limiting boxes, or worried about our health?
Let’s break free. Take control of own our bodies, spirits, and minds. Let’s make the changes we want to see in our own lives.
You can take back power into your own hands and change your life. You can reverse potential or current illnesses and build a life of gratitude, satisfaction, and hope.
In order to do so, you need to reprogram your thinking. Realize that the body is created and designed to heal and it WANTS you to be healthy. Focus on health to bring that beautiful mind, body, and spirit into unison and into harmony.
Then, your pathway will be clear to find your purpose, achieve your goals, and live life as the powerful person you always dreamed of being. You have the power. Be that power for yourself.