Starting with your mind
The uncertainty of the times has caused a lot of us anxiety. In the first two months of quarantine when we were in an enhanced community quarantine, some of us may have taken it like a vacation after the first few days of worry.
When government aid came in, some of the fears were assuaged. But as the different levels of quarantine were imposed, there were also varying degrees of reaction. Concern increased as business was not allowed to fully operate. There was a simmering disquiet among certain sectors especially those who had nothing to fill their bellies with when people lost their jobs.
In spite of the easing out of some of the quarantine classifications, the ambiguity of the future continues to hover like a dark cloud of heavy rains waiting to fall anytime. It makes one insecure and undecisive as to how to approach the future. Investors are afraid to let go of their money. And as business wants to take up their dwindling enterprise, they hesitate as well in fear that full operation of commerce may once again let the virus infections churn.
We are in the crossroads of moving on. Are we ready to claim our livelihood again and go back to work? Is the virus already weakening? Are we confident with the report of declining cases of COVID or does this only mean that people have stopped testing? Are we really flattening the curve or are we just taking a pause from administering massive tests? So many questions. So many thoughts that feed our minds. And if we allow all the doubts to invade our minds, then we may be in a losing battle.
It is important to build our mind with positive thoughts. Happy ones. Productive ones. Ideas that encourage us to fight and overcome the repercussions of this test of faith. We have to train our minds to think happy, and feed our minds with less stressful thoughts.
We have to plan, no matter how precautionary. We have to cultivate relationships no matter the social distance. Continuing to nurture insecurity will disable us. We have to focus on happy thoughts to build our immune system. To spur us to have a life albeit the caution and the protocols while no vaccine is yet in a confident place. Many studies have revealed that staying positive in outlook helps battle depression. It enhances the spirit to survive and strengthens the body. We have to train our mind to choose positive thoughts. Those that encourage and not douse the spirit.
Science has shown that happy hormones are derived from choosing a lifestyle of joy. Doing things you want to do. Finding good in others. Expressing positive feelings like love and affection or care and kindness. Dopamine is a hormone that makes one have a good sense of well-being. Serotonin is another happy hormone that is derived from daily workouts that causes the mind to combat depression. Oxytocin, better known for its being a “love hormone” is produced through being kind and affectionate. It brings out a good sense of well-being to a person especially among women. Endorphins help in relieving pain and bringing in a relaxed, happy mood. Our body cooperates with the suggestion of the mind. Thus it is best to train our thoughts to think pleasant and not dwell so much on stressors. This way, we will survive better, live better and fuller.
Start with the mind and all the rest will pick up. Relationships, business, the economy, life. That is God’s design.
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