With my collegiate life soon coming to an end, the stresses of the real world are starting to dawn on me, and I have one worry. Will I end up homeless? This is of course the unrealistic side of me speaking that wonders what the real world will be like (and of course, in the most dramatic of terms!) How will I survive without financial help from my parents? Will I starve to death? Will I have to work a job I hate just to make ends meet? Where will I get health insurance? While these are all valid concerns...I can't help but know in my gut that
everything will be okay, and not just for me, but for
all of us. I know that only by maintaining strong mental and physical health, life can be truly lived, which is all any of us can really ask for at the end of the day. Life is about being the best
YOU that you can be--everything else is subordinate. It's important that we savor the present moments and appreciate our loved ones--being aware of life's small details are what grounds us, allowing us to maintain good mental health (which is even more important than physical health, in my opinion!) We must train our minds as we do our bodies, and continue to embrace the positive energy in our lives.
Stress is an unnecessary demon, and puts us at risk of obesity, heart disease, and depression, among other things. A life filled with stress is a life wasted. I, personally, find humility when I read the international news. My "stress" seems so trivial when compared to what some have to suffer through everyday.
I am a huge proponent of meditation--whatever that may be to you. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I meditate by going on long walks alone. This helps me clear my mind (and get in that hour and a half of low-impact, fat burning cardio!) Find beauty in the world around you, and focus on something that settles your mind, body, and soul. Whether it be expressing yourself in artistic avenues (writing, painting, music), or just laying in a park staring at the sky, meditation will help ease stress, giving you a more balanced, healthy life! After all,
the road to a fit and fabulous lifestyle starts with a fit and fabulous mind!
I went on a brisk hour-and-a-half walk the other day through Chico...it was a great day...and I felt like I got something done, too!
ReplyDeleteI loved this post. Having recently found myself unemployed, I have struggled with the mental aspect of this - having had a pretty good career, things seem to have gone pretty wrong recently, and I find myself having to tell myself "It'll all work out ok", but it's tough, especially when the media constantly bombard us with messages to the contrary (hence my previous post on my blog). You are totally right, using exercise to build our physical and mental wellbeing is an excellent tool, and I find myself riding my bike more, walking more, which is good for me and good for the environment.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, you will be fine - I'm a big believer in everything happens for a reason - we just gotta wait to see the reasons!!