Welcome to the latest episode of Unlocking Your Greatness with Wendy Bjork. As an international bestselling author, nationally syndicated columnist, inspirational speaker and founder of heartsofwellness.com, it is my mission to empower women to build a strong Foundation of Wellbeing: One Whole-istic™ Step at a Time. To feel HOPE: harmony, options, peace and empowerment to help others along the way.
How Do Our Thoughts Affect Our Health?
When it comes to the mind and body, what we think and feel can directly impact our health. Negative thinking can cause a chain reaction that manifests physically in your body as muscle tension, headaches and anxiety.
Take control of your thoughts, examine their truth and replace any that do not serve you. This is the foundation of healthy living.
Emotions
The emotions that we experience—joy, sadness, fear, anger, and others—are a constant part of our lives. These feelings affect our moods and, in turn, can influence our health.
The nature of our emotions is a complex subject that has been studied from many different perspectives. While most scientists and experts agree that emotions are a dynamic interplay of cognitive interpretations and bodily responses, it is difficult to pin down one theory that everyone can support.
Some researchers believe that our emotions are socially constructed rather than biologically innate. This theory suggests that our emotions result from a combination of physical properties of the brain and body, our culture and upbringing, and our thoughts. This may explain why some people have more chronic negative feelings than others.
Stress
Many people think of stress as a bad thing, and indeed, the long-term effects of severe or persistent stress can damage health. But moderate doses of daily stressors, like traffic jams or the pressure to perform at work, don’t necessarily impose a health burden on most people.
Any definition of stress should also include good stress, or eustress, which can have positive connotations. A passionate kiss or winning the lottery can be stressful on a different level, but is hardly the same stress level as having root canal surgery.
A person’s outlook on stress determines whether it becomes a drain on their health and well-being or a source of motivation and vigor. The research of Stanford psychology assistant professor Alia Crum indicates that adopting a mindset where stress is viewed as helpful rather than harmful can actually improve health, emotional well-being and productivity.
Anxiety
Feeling anxious is a natural part of our fight or flight response and happens to most people in certain situations, such as when they are taking a test or having surgery. But when anxiety becomes constant and out of proportion to the triggering event, it may be an anxiety disorder.
A health care professional can diagnose anxiety disorders by doing a survey or interview, including questions about physical symptoms and how they affect daily life. They can also rule out a physical problem, such as hyperthyroidism, that could cause these symptoms. Treatment options include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), ACT and interpersonal therapy. Medications can also be used to help relieve symptoms. These are called antidepressants, and they can also reduce depression symptoms that sometimes occur with anxiety.
Depression
Depression may make it harder to sleep well and can cause or intensify physical pain, such as headaches, migraines and back pain or arthritis and fibromyalgia. These symptoms can interfere with daily functioning, especially at work and home.
When depression is not treated, it can weaken the immune system, making it easier to get sick with viral infections or other illnesses. People with depression also have a higher risk for chronic health conditions such as obesity and heart disease.
Talk to your doctor about getting treatment for depression. You can learn more about medications, or treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy, exercise and social support. You can also look into clinical trials that are investigating new ways to prevent or treat depression and other conditions.
Self-Esteem
Your self-esteem reflects your opinions about your worth and the value of your life. This is influenced by your personality, childhood experiences and society.
Low self-esteem often goes hand in hand with mental health issues like anxiety and depression. It can also cause unhelpful behaviors, such as substance abuse and self-harm.
A few ways to develop a healthy sense of self-esteem are to limit your screen time, cut back on the social media scroll, spend more time on physical activities that make you feel good and take the lead in group activities. Another way is to develop a meditation practice where you can learn to inspect your thoughts and detach yourself from the negative ones.
When you think negative thoughts, such as “I always have bad luck” or “I’m going to get sick,” the resulting cortisol and other stress hormones can cause a variety of symptoms. These include anxiety, high blood pressure, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, immune system issues and more.
The good news is that you can train your mind to be more positive. This is the basis of many forms of talk therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapeutic approaches. You can try simple things to start, like telling yourself “it’s going to be a great day” or other positive affirmations. You can also listen to positive music and podcasts, or engage in other activities that make you happy. Keep in mind, however, that if you’re constantly thinking negatively and have a hard time shifting your mindset, you may need professional help. In some cases, negative thoughts are a symptom of an underlying psychiatric condition that requires treatment. Talk to your doctor for more information.
To support you in creating a path to your dream life with simple steps, download your copy of the Hearts of Wellness 30-Day Journal + Blueprint Bundle Towards Living Your Best Life at heartsofwellness.com/you. It will support you in keeping your desired outcomes all in one place along with the Blueprint which will help you take small steps daily towards a better view of yourself. Benefit from improved self-talk, as well as writing your weekly gratitude list and celebrating your weekly wins. Discovering and living by your personalized playbook are important steps we can create together!
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If you feel a safe, supportive, drama-free environment without the censorship of social media sounds like a breath of fresh air, join the free Hearts of Wellness Community for women on their #MS holistic healing journey ~ HeartsofWellness.com/Community!
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