28 July 2016

Berlin, Germany.

Are you feeling stressed out? Do you feel like you've reached a plateau? Do you wait for the end of the workday, only to dread going back to work the next morning?  Are you complaining about many things? If you answer yes to many of the questions above, you are part of the approximately 70% of disengaged modern day workers in the world (Gallup Poll)[1] .But there is something you need to be aware of.  Your life is actually not that bad at all.  It is a matter of perspective, mental framing and immediate action that is the first step to make you get out of your rut or your feelings of being 'stuck in the mud' and get you to living a more fulfilling life.

Step 1:  Awareness and Being Thankful

The first step involves taking several deep breathes, relaxing and becoming aware of your current state and what you have already achieved in your life.  If you are breathing and are healthy, that is a great blessing in itself.  Get out and enjoy life!  People that live in the industrialised nations have the luxury of education, health care, clean food, access to clean water and most importantly safety which many steps ahead of the majority of the nations in the world.  Leisure time is a luxury that many people do not have.

Step 2: Behavioral Steps to Positivity

On a daily basis, take time to do things that you really enjoy and that are positive coping methods to the stress of daily life.  To jump start the pleasure centers in your brain and overcome the negative thoughts, engage in cognitive joys like humor, listening to uplifting music, painting, learning to play an instrument or reading interesting books.  On the physical side, stretch, do yoga, walk, climb stairs or engage in your favorite sport activity which all result in increased blood circulation and release endorphins in your brain making you feel joy.  Eat nutritious foods like chicken, meat, fish, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds that provide your body with the right fuel to keep the its systems working at their optimum making you feel light and energetic.

Step 3: Environment and Giving Back

Get out into nature, go swimming, sit in the grass, bond with animals.  Spend time with your family, reconnect with your old friends, give back to the society by volunteering.  These actions humble you and make you think of other people rather than the relatively small stressors in your life.

It takes self control, confidence and a lot of patience to train the mind to focus on the present moments. By doing so you accumulate as many positive daily experiences which result in a positive impact on your perspective of life. Think of it as a balance, one side with the positive experiences and the other the negative ones and your mood being the balance itself.   Now this is not to say that we should totally ignore the negative, on the contrary, be aware of them and see how you behave in those circumstances as they are also tests of the self and can teach many things.