Emotions are not the boss of you
Emotions are the strongest impetus behind every human interaction and achievement. Be it positive, life-affirming emotions or those that corrode your spirit. They lie at the heart of the highs and lows of life. But what happens when these emotions start ruling you? They rob you of reason and rationality. Don’t beat yourself up about it, it’s only human. Address the problem, don’t brush it under the carpet. Be aware of what’s going on within, accept that there is an issue that requires external help. If you can’t handle the maelstrom of emotions, seek help.
Let’s get real
The heart may want what it wants. But it may not always set itself on what’s realistic or plausible. You are the only one aware of your reality, and therefore, only you can set yourself achievable goals that are right for you. Being passionate is a boon, but passion does not mean having unrealistic expectations from yourself. More often than not, your emotional wellbeing suffers on account of unrealistic or unfair expectations you set for yourself and those around you. Whether it is relationships, love, or the professional sphere of life, the key is in being realistic, pragmatic, and balancing your emotions with wisdom.
Indulge in a digital detox
Life, today, revolves around gadgets and technology. Neither adults nor children can imagine a world without gadgets. According to A Decade of Digital Dependency, a 2018 report, an average adult in the UK spends more than 24 hours a week online watching, reading or surfing social media channels. In India, the figure stands at 17 hours per week, according to a McKinsey Digital report. No wonder, “not having enough time” has become a cliché. We spend most of our time staring at screens as we walk, eat, and commute.
The internet is flooded with studies that indicate exposure to gadgets is increasingly impacting mental health and emotional wellbeing. As a study conducted by the University of Texas indicates, staying away from those gadgets improves focus, attention span, and cognitive capacity. If you find yourself complaining about the increasingly short attention span people have, you might want to start with yourself.
For digital detoxification: turn off your Wi-Fi and keep your phone away at bedtime, shut down your laptop once you are home after work, fix timings to check those Facebook and Twitter notifications, put your phone in silent mode, spend time with your family and friends without the smartphone, go on a nature trail where there is no mobile network, pay attention to people, soak in the joy and beauty of being in nature.
If you successfully conduct this detox once, the next time around would be a breeze. You are sure to feel lighter, without the digital bandwidth intruding your personal time, while you will still have the ‘bandwidth’ to do what you love and pursue your goals.
Your attitude matters
It is easy to be caught in the quagmire of low self-esteem, insecurity, fear of loss and inadequacy in the competitive world we live in today. An endless loop of complaining, whining, justifying the negativity ensues. So, what do you do? Self-help wisdom dictates you sieve out the negative and cherish the positive. A healthy, optimistic attitude can make all the difference to your mental and emotional wellbeing. As Maya Angelou rightly said, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” Indulge in positive thoughts, be grateful for the incidents and experiences that bring you happiness, and appreciate the difficult circumstances for they forge you into becoming stronger. You are responsible for your own wellbeing, your emotional and mental harmony. Wellness experts say, becoming someone else’s strength makes you stronger and more content. Be the sunshine in someone else’s life, even when you can’t see the sun yourself.
The path to holistic wellbeing goes through a healthy body
Shut down your mind
Good sleep is as important to the body, as the need to wake up every morning feeling fresh. But it will remain a distant dream if you are awake well past 2 am. Essential for holistic wellbeing, sound sleep allows the mind to temporarily shut down, providing the much-needed relaxation, that is otherwise, hard to come by. Set a strict bedtime, stay true to the good old adage—‘early to bed, early to rise’. If possible, take a nap during the day. A power nap can refresh the mind anew. The golden rule to sleep well—avoid stimulants such as coffee, chocolates, and cigarettes at least four hours before you go to sleep.
As you struggle to change your sleep habit and crib about the hard work, remember Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep, is the twin brother of Thanatos, the god of death. It just might be the motivation you need.
Change your palate
Do you love to eat? Are you a poor eater? Or do you eat just to survive? Whatever be your relationship with food, junk food forms a large part of it. Not only is it hard to quit, junk food is addictive, and at times, as addictive as heroin and cocaine. Hearing the mention of the foods we love in the same breath as two of the most dangerous drugs does scare the glutton away. But, sooner or later the cravings are back. So, what do you do to clean up that nasty eating habit? Take the bold step forward—change that palate. Drink a vegetable smoothie if you don’t like eating vegetables, eat a fruit, don’t juice it. Have a fistful of dry fruit instead of a pack of potato chips. Cut sugar out, and do it with a pinch of salt.
Work those motor skills
The path to holistic wellbeing goes through a healthy body. Some people tread this path by running every morning at first light, some love lifting weights in a gym, and others go for a swim in cold water. But what about those who do not have the time, endurance, or sometimes, even physical ability to follow such fitness regimens? Is holistic wellbeing a far-fetched goal for them? Certainly not.
Time, endurance, and physical ability of a person notwithstanding, there are disciplines and practices that bring together the three pillars of holistic wellbeing—the mind, body, and spirit. Yoga, for instance, is one such ancient discipline that harmonises the body and the mind inside out. Despite having some of the most difficult physical poses or asanas, yoga can be practised at any age, allowing the endurance level to evolve. Tai Chi, on the other hand, can be performed even with disabilities. Even in a wheelchair, you can practice this Chinese discipline to achieve the seemingly-elusive holistic wellbeing.
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