Rajendra Dhar
POLICE WATCH INDIA (Regd. NGO).
HOW TO GO ABOUT IT — SOME BASICS :-
Fixating on thoughts and emotions, day in day out, affects all aspects of our lives. Learning to be mindful of our “internal dialogue” helps us to recognize our thought patterns and how they may be affecting the way we handle the situations of daily living.
Many people have found that, when they tune in to their internal dialogue, much of it is negative.
Thoughts like, “I could never do that” and “What if I fail?” can seriously impact the way we behave. Stress, apparently associated with attachment to this negative internal dialogue, in turn, affects every aspect of our lives.
When we are stressed, specific hormones circulate in the body. Released infrequently these hormones are harmless, when they are released continuously they are associated with serious damage. Cardiovascular disease is related in part to continuous bombardment of stress hormones and arterial damage is caused by free radicals created in the process.
Letting go of attachment to these negative thoughts and emotions is liberating. This is a process in itself that is well worth the effort. Very effective methods to help to place the mind at ease have been developed over thousands of years. Meditation is one of them.
Sleep appears essential to improve and maintain energy levels, immune system effectiveness, mental and emotional clarity and overall well-being.
THE FOLLOWING TIPS ARE VERY USEFUL IF YOU NEED TO SLEEP BETTER :-
Minimize attaching to mental activity in the evening.
Make appropriate preparations for the next day.
Take a bath before dinner & bedtime to promote ease.
Soothing fragrances, lights, and music may help as well.
Limit activities in bed to sleep and intimate encounters only – avoid TV.
If you have trouble sleeping, try sleeping in another area of the house.
Natural, homeopathic, nutritional, herbal support may prove useful.
Remember always to turn off all the lights.
Melatonin (the key hormone involved in sleep/repair cycles) production may be inhibited if you sleep with the lights on.
DEVELOP YOUR POSITIVE ATTITUDE.
Listen to internal dialogue. Divide one or more sheets of paper into two columns and, for a few days, jot down in the left column all the negative thoughts that come into your head. Rewrite each thought in a positive way in the second column. Practice doing this in your mind until it becomes a habit. (For example, “I’ll never get this finished by the end of the day!” could become, “I will probably get most of this finished by the end of the day.”)
Learn to communicate. Not saying the things we feel can lead to a sense of frustration, hurt, anger or anxiety. If you find communicating difficult, or are afraid of arguments or bruised feelings, take a course in communicating effectively, always having the intent of non-harm.
Get back to basics. Reconnect with old friends, take the dog for a walk, visit an art gallery or listen to your favourite music. Enjoy a long, relaxing bath, read a meaningful book, tell your child a story, or ask an older relative to tell you one. The simplest things in life give us the most pleasure.
Help someone out. The simple act of helping others (humans, animals or nature in general) helps us to feel joyful.
Find your spirituality. Research has shown that those who have developed their spirituality through associating with other spiritual individuals or having cooperative mindful beliefs, live longer, more satisfying lives. The secret is practising those beliefs, either through organized worship, or simple meditation in a quiet place.
Allow love in your life. The ability to love and be loved is a most basic human trait. We, as a society, seem to have become disconnected, fear-based emotions (depression, loneliness, guilt, attachment and anger) are the damaging symptoms. Finding ways to reconnect with others is extremely helpful in developing a positive attitude.
Laugh at yourself and find humour in the simplest of things. Laughter is a powerful mood elevator. If you are feeling down, read some jokes, watch a funny movie or just act “silly” once in a while. At times, let yourself see through a child’s genuine eyes. Simplify living.
Participate in new physical and mental activities to improve confidence levels and coping mechanisms. Building confidence could be as easy as learning the meanings of new words, learning about new topics or if you are right-handed using instead your left hand more frequently (left hand connects with more spiritual, intuitive and creative right side of the brain).
Follow the principles of holistic health – enlightened body, speech and mind in harmony (better nutrition and exercise appear to be associated with positive mood and attitude)
Remember that the mainstream media focuses on information that leads to attachment to fear, negative thoughts and emotions. Perhaps instead focus on positive things to do for the well being of humanity.
Learn to communicate your needs more effectively. For example, instead of using common language of subordination expressed by such words as “no”, “don’t”, “should”, “stop”, “good”, “bad” and “have”, you could instead try expressing your needs by stating “I need you to…”. This peaceful language expresses needs and does not judge.
Whatever has been brought out herein, although in brief, will definitely prove beneficial on your journey to wellness.
Always remember that we are ever eager to see you healthy, hale & hearty so that you are able to give society at large your very best & are remembered by all for all your humane achievements.
