The Wellness Mindset ~ Emotional Wellness: How to change your negative mind.

Today we continue our look at the dimensions of wellness by looking at one aspect of emotional wellness: positive thinking. First, however, what exactly is “emotional wellness”?

Emotional  Wellness is the ability to cope, manage and experience feelings appropriately. It means having a positive and optimistic attitude about life. It means having a high self-esteem and balanced emotions. It means being able to recognize and cope with life issues.  Emotional wellness is a key component to the other dimensions. Because if we let our emotions get the better of us, if we get stuck in a negative mindset, like we all do at some point in life, all other aspects of wellness are affected.

Like a pebble dropped into a pond, the ripples of negative emotions affect all aspects of our lives, and all dimensions of wellness. They cause us stress, which in turn cause physical ailments throughout the body. Negative emotions  drain your spirit, cause unclear thinking, create social strain, and send negative energy into the surrounding environment. And, most often, we get stuck in our negative mindset.

So, how do we get unstuck?

The answer, it seems, is quite simple…gratitude. Listen as Alison Ledgerwood, Social Psychologists explains the negative mindset and how to get unstuck.

1. Think about the positive aspects of your day, instead of focusing on the negative.
2. Start a “gratitude journal” and spend a few minutes each evening writing about things for which you are grateful.
3. Meditate for 10 minutes each morning and/or each evening
4. Do yoga
5. Take ownership for your life and stop playing the “victim”. (The “it’s not my fault” attitude)
6. Help someone in need
7. Accept you are human and make mistakes, then move on
8. Sing or dance
9. Surround yourself with positive people
10. SMILE! 😁

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Many years ago, when my now 23 year old son was an infant, I worked as a teller for a local credit union. I had a regular customer come in and I’d ask “Hello, how are you today?” He would always answer with an enthusiastic “I’m FABULOUS!”

Now, we asked everyone that same question and most people would say the standard “I’m fine.” or “I’m ok”. A few people would say “I’m horrible, it’s been a crappy day.” But this one customer got our attention.

Out of curiosity, my co-worker and I once asked him about his response.  “How are you always fabulous?” He replied “How can I not be fabulous? I am alive, and I have so much to be grateful for. There is no other way to reply.”

For this person, it was simply a statement of fact that he was fabulous. He had trained his mind to see the positive side of life. And like a pebble dropped in a pond, that positive attitude spreads. THAT is definitely a goal worth pursuing.

Until next time…namaste my friends.

Tamara

Author: Tamara Hoerner

Welcome to The Purple Almond Wellness I’m Tamara Hoerner, MHNE, wellness educator and founder of Purple Almond Wellness. I work with middle-age individuals to help support brain health and develop whole body wellness, in order to improve the quality of their mid-life years. Heart and Alzheimer’s diseases run in my family and I struggled with weight loss, so I strive to help others with similar conditions. Using only nutrition, I rid my body of seasonal allergies, Psoriatic Arthritis and migraines, as well as cured my insomnia. I know what it takes to use food as medicine, especially in middle age. As a wellness educator and Summa Cum Laude graduate of Hawthorn University, I develop personalized nutrition plans and wellness education sessions, to help clients. For me, the name Purple Almond symbolizes “Good, nutritious, whole food bringing light and life to the body, awakening the inherent healing mechanisms within.” I'm all about getting back to the basics, good old fashioned traditional organic, whole food, the kind your great-grandmother used to eat. You'll find no processed foods here. Just good food to heal your whole body. I also believe a healthy body isn't just about food. Stress plays a large part in the physical health of our body. I, therefore, believe in using anything that relieves stress and heals the body, including: mediation, yoga, music, laughter, inspiration and helping others. You'll find all these included in my blog as well. View all posts by Tamara Hoerner