"What a mistake that was!" I think to myself as I turn off the evening news. Like anyone else I
want to know what’s going on in the world, but 30 minutes ago I was in a good
mood. Now, after hearing negative story after negative story, I’m a bit
melancholy. I decide I need a dose of
endorphins, so I put on my workout gear for a little running therapy.
Dusk begins to settle in as I venture out into my
neighborhood, beginning with a jog then progressing into a moderate paced run. I sometimes run with an ipod, but not
tonight. I’m feeling the need to be without technology, running with just the
sounds of nature and my thoughts.
Having just watched the news my thoughts are of course on the
world today and how easily accessible information is. Between television,
radio, internet and even the endangered newspaper, from the moment we wake up to
the time we go to sleep we are easily inundated with information. Unfortunately,
much of this information is negative. Frequent news topics such as the growing
concerns over foreign policy, foreign relations, the economy, health care issues, and
school shootings can easily provide many reasons to feel scared, angry, sad, or
hopeless.
The media outlets, however, would not bombard us with this information,
if in fact there was no demand for it. I’ve heard that various television
networks have experimented over the years with a focus on positivity, which unfortunately
resulted in poor ratings. People want to know, and
certainly need to know, about the dangers in our world. That being said, while
it may be human nature to want to know about the dangers and events in the
world, it is possible to be overloaded, causing negative effects to both
physical and mental health. Just as a boat only sinks if it lets in the water
around it. Negativity will bring us down if we let it consume us.
But how do we prevent this? How do we make a difference in
the world? How do we create positivity? Putting an end to all the stress and
strife in the world is no simple task. Fortunately, there are things we can do
which will have a positive effect on ourselves and our environment. Which, in
the spirit of the expression “pay it forward”, will have a domino effect and
lead to others benefiting as well.
Since I’m
running, the first thing that comes to mind is exercise. There is a strong body
and mind connection. By exercising regularly, both your brain and body become
healthier. Scientists have been
linking physical exercise to
brain health for years and there is compelling evidence that physical exercise
helps the brain resist shrinkage and increase cognitive abilities. For example, we now know that, regardless of
your age, exercise promotes a process known as neurogenesis, which is your
brain’s ability to adapt and grow new brain cells. Additionally exercise
reduces cortisol levels, which in turn reduces stress and anxiety. All of these factors combine to make a more
positive state of mind.
Positivity contributes to
happiness and research has shown happiness to be contagious. I recently read about
research in which the researchers looked at twenty years' worth of data on more
than 5,000 individuals and found that when any one person was happy, their
friends became more likely to share that joy.
Benefits spread out to three
degrees of separation, meaning a better chance at happiness for not only their
friends' friends, but also their friends' friends' friends. It’s been my
experience that periodically challenging myself by stepping outside of my comfort
zone, such as with a higher intensity or longer duration workout, leads to
empowerment and as a result, greater happiness.
Getting outside also helps tremendously. Studies by
researchers in England and Sweden have found that runners who exercise in a natural green setting with trees, foliage and
landscape views, feel more restored, and less anxious, angry and depressed than
those runners who do the same workout in a gym or other urban setting.
I have personally found that running outside at different
times of day is also great for creating a pleasant state of mind.. For example,
in the early morning I get to experience serenity from the stillness that
exists in the hours pre-hustle and bustle of the work day. In the evening, I
get to eliminate the stress that accumulated during the day and sometimes see
some magnificent sunsets in the process.
Expressing gratitude is a common practice for producing positive
emotions too. It’s certainly worked for me. Taking a few minutes each day to write down a few things we are grateful
for in our life, whether big or small, brings on feelings of positivity.
I’ve been reading a lot
lately about the health benefits of being creative and it’s quite fascinating. What I’ve learned, in a
nutshell, is that the link between creativity and health has been
well established, so anything that allows you to be more creative in your
life benefits the physiology of your body and mind. Creative expression releases endorphins
and other feel good neurotransmitters, reduces depression and anxiety, improves
your immune function, relieves physical pain, and activates the parasympathetic
nervous system, thereby lowering your heart rate, decreasing your blood
pressure, slowing down your breathing, and lowering cortisol. I’ve experienced this first hand. Besides
running, nothing puts me in the zone and helps me relax (or in the moment) like
creative tasks. When I’m writing or doing home improvements, for example, the
world is tuned out and I’m totally in the moment and stress free.
And of course, periodically
disconnecting, as I have done for this run, is extremely important. Being connected all the time to a smart phone,
mobile device or computer means we’re subject to interruptions, we’re
constantly stressed about information coming in, we are at the mercy of the
demands of others. It’s hard to slow down when you’re always checking new
messages coming in. Disconnecting also means avoiding TV and radio, thereby
avoiding being flooded by more negativity.
Adding fun into each day is often overlooked because adults mistakenly feel there is no place for it in their life. But this belief is false,play is absolutely crucial for everyone young and old. Just
because we’re adults, that doesn't mean we have to take ourselves so seriously
and make life all about work. We all need to have fun. Fun (a.k.a play) is
a time to forget about work, commitments, and everyday stress. In one of my favorite TED talks, DR Stuart
Brown of the National Institute for Play,
suggests that a lack of play contributes to shrinkage of the brain. Sharing laughter and fun can also foster
empathy, compassion, trust, and intimacy with others. It also helps us adapt and problem solve
by stimulating our imagination.
On this thought I conclude my run. As anticipated my mood has
been elevated, I’m now happy again. As I do a cool down walk I promise myself
to practice all the things I’ve been thinking about. I hope you do too. The world is counting on us!
