Mental Diet – Feed your mind with the best

“The greatest discovery of our generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind. As you think, so shall you be. “ – William James

How we feel and think is central to the way we live our lives. Just like our physical health, mental health is also essential. Mental health is a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and can make a contribution to her or his community.

It is easy to recognize if something is wrong with our bodies. Some signs are visible, while others need a diagnosis. Still, there is a scope to find the problem, if it’s there. But, what happens when it comes to mental health?

 There are no such clear signs and most people don’t even talk about it. Sometimes, we carry on our daily lives with the troubles up there in our minds. We have various symptoms like extreme mood swings, low energy, trouble in sleeping, feeling sad or low, etc associated with mental illness. 

But, do all of us experience the same symptoms? The answer is – No! 

The symptoms are varying and there’s no simple test that can help us in differentiating, if there’s a mental illness or if it’s normal conduct of a person or an outcome of physical illness. 

 What is good mental health? 

Mental health is complex and is not merely the absence of symptoms.No symptoms doesn’t mean that your mental health is blooming

Great mental wellbeing is expressed by an individual’s ability to perform certain key functions and activities, including : 

•  The ability to learn and realize his/her potential- “ Potential is a treasure and all of us have it within us.” Good mental health is the key to unlocking the full potential. And, this will help the individuals to give their best in whatever they do. 
• Ability to form and maintain healthy relationships -Communication can do wonders. The ability to maintain healthy relations with others needs communication. It will help you in building trust, solving problems, increasing productivity, etc.
• Ability to feel and express positive and negative emotions – Life is a mixture of both. Our ability to feel and express our emotions helps us in handling the good and bad times. 
• Ability to cope with normal stress and manage changes and uncertainty. 

Let’s create good mental health with a powerful mental diet. 

Mental Diet : 

Your diet is not only what you eat. It is what you watch, what you listen to, what you read, the people you hang around with…Be mindful of the things you put into your body emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

The whole world is running behind diet plans. A diet plan to lose weight, build muscles, gain weight, and the list goes on. You’ll find people discussing diet plans everywhere and every time. But, you’ll hardly see anyone discussing a mental diet. 

We are getting conscious day by day of what we are putting inside our bodies. And, all of us agree with “we are what we eat”. But, how many of us know that “what we think, we are”. The life we are living now is shaped by our thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. That’s why thought is not just a thought- it can transform your life. 

The most important diet which all of us need is a  mental diet. And, once you start seeing the results, you’ll notice how powerful mental dieting is.

The food we eat shapes our bodies, and the thoughts we allow, shape our lives.

Let’s get started and build a mental diet plan: 

Breakfast : 

All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it is advisable to choose something healthy. It sets up your metabolism and you’re likely to make healthy choices throughout the day. Same way, feed your mind with the best when you start your day, it will make you a happier person. 

The way you start your day determines a lot about how well you live your day. Have you ever noticed that when you start your day feeling irritated, angry, sad, frustrated, or with any negative emotions? You are likely to attract those feelings throughout the day. 

Yes, that’s the power of your thoughts and you have the choice to change them at any moment.

• Start your day with positive thoughts. No matter, what happens, don’t allow those negative thoughts to overpower you. 
• Thoughts create emotions and happy thoughts will create happy emotions. Think about what makes you happy and start visualizing. Doing this will make you feel happier.
• Spend some time listing the things you’re grateful for. Gratitude makes the day even brighter. 
• Stay off social media and spend some time with yourself. Do what you love- read a book, practice positive affirmations, meditate, listen to the podcast, exercise, meditate, practice yoga, play with your pets, or go out for a walk with them. 

Lunch:

Keep it up! You did a great job in the morning. Let’s move forward with the lunch: 

As you carry on with your daily routine, you will meet lots of people at your workplace, school, or college. Staying positive will boost your happiness at the workplace and thus, boost your productivity.   

Just like any other diet, where the body craves junk. The mind will also play tricks and this time junk will be your negative thoughts.

• Surround yourself with positive people, and choose whom you spend your time with. You can’t choose your co-workers or classmates, but you can always be careful about the people you choose to spend time with. It’s good to interact with the outside world and spend some time away from the phone. “ Don’t adapt the energy in the room, influence it.” 😉 🙂 
• You can use the break time to listen to podcasts, audiobooks, music, or even a book. They can give you a better break than being a part of gossip or drama. Remember – Choice is always yours!
• Practice breathing exercises, they will help you stay calm. Breathe deeply and relax your body. This will not only help you relieve stress but will also give a different perspective on the situation. Look at the bright side of the situation.  

These steps will help you stay calm and positive. Rock the day and let’s end it on a positive note. 

Dinner:

A good day is a good day. A bad day is a good story. At the end of the day, it’s all good. – Glennon Melton

• Allocate some time to list out the positive events that happened throughout the day. Jotting down the positive events, helps you re-live those moments. You’ll notice that you had plenty of them. Don’t take small things for granted. 🙂
• Step back from social media and spend time with the people you love and care about. Read a book, practice positive affirmations, meditate, listen to the podcast, meditate, play with your pets, or go out for a walk with them. Do anything that helps you relax your mind. 
• Practice gratitude and be thankful for what you have. Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. Train your mind and change your life. 

How to apply a mental diet?

• Thoughts are always flowing, but you can choose them. You have the power to choose, and don’t waste that power entertaining negative thoughts. 
• Always try to look at the bright side of life, you have soo much to be thankful for. There’s always something to be grateful for. 🙂 
• You can’t control the first thought, but you can control every thought after that(before it becomes an endless loop). Don’t entertain them, just replace them with a positive thoughts.
• Don’t waste your energy on the things that aren’t even useful.
• Follow these simple steps and make sure you follow the mental diet. You’ll notice the changes around you. Make it a habit. It’s not just a diet, it’s a lifestyle! Mental dieting is as important as any other physical diet which you do to train your body.

Thoughts have energy. Make sure your thoughts are positive and powerful! 

Share and let the best reach the maximum. 😀