healthy emotion

Just stumbled across an old article published in The Star somewhere in Feb'10. An article by Kotra Pharma.

In times, we tend to forget that we need to be emotionally healthy, too. Your mental is the most powerful weapon of yourself. Treat it well, and next you'll see that you're soaring up high in the sky.

Though it may be a bit long, but do spend some time to read the whole article (as below).

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The more you invest in emotional health, the better equipped you’ll be to tackle life.

WHETHER you are in your 30s, 40s, 50s, or 60s, your emotional wellbeing should not be taken for granted. Emotional health has a bearing on everything that we do, so it is vital to be healthy in that department, at any age.

When you are emotionally healthy, you have better control of your feelings and behaviour. You are capable of handling life’s ups and downs better, building stronger relationships, and becoming more resilient.

Being emotionally healthy equates with being mentally healthy. Being mentally healthy does not mean an existence that is free from depression or other psychological challenges. Rather, it points to the ability to draw on positive strengths to cope with the negative aspects of life. When you are mentally or emotionally healthy, you are able to face any uphill issues positively. These will not break you.

Taking care of your physical health is one way to ensure emotional and mental health. No matter the age, the person who looks after his or her body will experience greater mental health. When you exercise, endorphins are also released. These chemicals from the brain and nervous system energise and lift moods. Exercise relieves stress, anxiety, and depression,

In addition, make sure you get the nutrients your body needs to keep all its parts functioning properly. A simple supplement may be the solution.

Get out and spend some time outdoors every day. Even a short spell of 10 minutes can be very invigorating.

Also remember to make time spent alone meaningful, productive, and enjoyable. Learn to enjoy your own company. Partake in activities that stimulate the mind and body.

Last but not least, sleep well. The average seven to eight hours sleep every night will help you to function at your optimum during the day.

Sadness is common among the aged for a multitude of reasons: loss of independence, career, health, a loved one, mobility, etc. But depression is not normal. Losing all hope and joy is not age-inclusive. When this happens, as it sometimes might, do not withdraw into isolation. Instead, take positive steps and talk to someone. Do not let this mental and emotional state slide go untreated.

Your feelings are very important! Make sure you take care of them. Do not let stress and negative emotions get in the way. Cultivate a good balance between what you perceive as responsibilities and the things you enjoy. The important thing is to ultimately feel good about yourself and the things you do.

Getting in touch with your senses is a good first step in that direction.

1. Awaken your senses. Indulge in therapies that appeal to your sense of smell, touch, taste, sound, and sight. Place a bowl of geraniums where you can see and smell them. Sip warm luxuriant ginger tea as you listen to uplifting music.

2. Awaken your sense of creativity. Engage in activities that will challenge your mind. You can plan and create a beautiful garden, a section at a time. Watch your creation take shape with time.
Let your hidden talents surface, be they in painting, carpentry, writing, playing a musical instrument, or cooking.

3. Awaken your love. Get a pet. No love is quite as unconditional as a pet’s. Whilst the responsibility gives you a sense of purpose, pets offer companionship, a reason to get out of your house for fresh air and exercise and a way to make new friends with other pet lovers.

4. Awaken your sense of humour. Watch movies that make you laugh. Surround yourself with friends that laugh often. Learn to always look at the funny side of things. You’ll soon find yourself in a better mood than most.

5. Awaken your sense of wonder. Explore new places. Read books you’ve never had before. Learn new skills. Take up an amazing new hobby.

6. Awaken your sense of gratitude. Take time to appreciate all the simple things that you have. Reflect or meditate on it. Be thankful for the garden, for the trees, for the inspiring beauty of the rising sun, for the people who care, for the little things that you can enjoy.

Be proactive. Yes you can be sixty-something and be a go-getter. Do not wait for someone to call or something to happen. Go out and get them. Do something for someone you care in itsy-bitsy ways. Call up a buddy to join you for morning coffee or a movie. It does not always have to be members of your family. Expand your network of friends.

Support can also come in the form of moral or emotional support from people who can identify with your needs. Do not limit your circle of friends to people your own age. Make an effort to befriend the young. You can learn something from each other.

Be adventurous and take every opportunity you can to feel free and independent. You’d be amazed at how your children and grandchildren see you. They are very likely to rally behind and around you to hear your stories and share your experiences.

For those who lack mobility, join some interest group, be it from the neighbourhood church or charitable organisation. Think of ways you can volunteer. Ask if there is anything you can do under your circumstances. If you can’t go to them, there is a chance things can be organised where they can come to you. Explore possibilities. Perhaps you can do social work from home through the phone, or run a home business that gives you the opportunity to interact with others and gain some independence for yourself.

Make it a point to join a club or society where you can interact with people on a regular basis. It is an interesting way to make new friends and forge supportive relationships with people of like minds
If you have done what you can for your emotional and mental health and still feel down, you are in trouble. It’s time to raise the SOS call. For the senior, any of these signs signal “Please help!”:

•Insomnia
•Anxiety and worries
•Memory problems
•Feelings of helplessness
•Feelings of hopelessness
•Irritability
•Unexplained aches and pains
•Lack of interest in personal care
•Loss of joy

Once you see the signs, it’s time to call on a professional counsellor. Just remember, the sooner one gets counselling or therapy, the faster one gets out of the problem and regains emotional health. The longer you wait, the more entrenched the problem becomes. Reaching out helps get you emotionally and mentally healthy again.

drama vs reality

Is drama created from part of life? Or is life just part of drama?

When life is frustrating, you might be hoping that your life is just like a drama, where the mighty prince comes and swept you off your feets, or, where the guys looking at you green with envy when you had the prettiest girl under your arms.
Maybe that's why people like drama. A place where they can envisioned having the best of the drama happening to them, which is what's totally contrast to their own dull life.

But, is your life really that dull and lifeless? Empty and meaningless?
Or maybe just because you did not have the right director to focus out on the highlight of your life or you do not have the right music to bring out the essence of your life?
Isn't that what's drama about?
Having the right producer, director, music producer to bring life to the drama script.
The only difference is that you are your own life drama script, producer, director and music producer.
No matter how reluctant you may want to admit that.
That's the truth.

So, why do you only want to be lost in the drama world?
Why not create your own drama and play it out.
It may not have the best response among others (so are the dramas out there), but it's definately worth producing it, as you will be playing the lead role.
Though it won't be any easy (ask any drama producers), but it's definately once-a-lifetime opportunity.

To those who has been living a drama-like life, hope you are enjoying your own drama.
Drama is supposed to have the high and low peak throughout the storyline (so is life), so that they can keep the attention of the viewers.

Last but not least, appreciate your life, the same way as you appreciate a drama.
It's tough to create a beautiful drama, but with the right determination, anything can be done!

learn .. to let go .. face the pain

Had a brief session, listening to my teacher sharing her experience of her dad almost stepping over to the death entrance. She told us what to look out for stroke patient as well as to what services provided by various hospital for stroke patient. But what captured my attention the most, is she said she's learning how to let go and to face the pain.

In whatever circumstances may come, there will be a time to let go of what you have, no matter how precious it may be to you. So, you have to learn to let go. Practice to let go, therefore, when it's time to let go, you wouldn't feel unbearable. Though, as human, we have feelings, therefore, we tend to have the desire not to lose it, and wanted to hang on to it. However, when the time really comes, we still have to let go. Therefore, we need to learn now, learn to let go.

Pain is a feeling, that it might get worse if we use our imagination to feel it, than it really is, in reality. So, face the pain. Face it and you would realised that, it doesn't hurt as much as you thought it might be. Face it and you would realised that, you can actually take in the pain, to your own surprise.

In life, we just have to give and take.

short walk

Just barely an hour walk outside, and my mind is being triggered by things happening around me.

I think, not everyone in the the service line understood what it means to smile to customer. Though we can see there's a lot of boards or posters or tags giving out to the front line, indicating they should smile at you, but do they really smile? A smile is something that should come out from your heart, not just to be put on the face. Maybe some people can fake it well. But a smile coming from the bottom of the heart, cannot be disguised.

I wondered do the customer service or the sales rep knows what their values are to the first time customer to their premise? Maybe day in and day out, they have been facing numerous customers, whom might be frequent buyers. But to those first time customers, their sincere help and smile is what that makes the day of the customers.

Sometimes, I do wonder, how long can you be passionate in your job? The first three months? The first year? It is when you are passionate about your job, that you really would give your best and also to do your best for your customers or end users. They, on the other hand, will feel it, too.

Before i ended my walk, I saw a showcase on some models of the cars. I wondered to myself. What does it means to have a good car? There are various car models being put on market almost every year or every quarter of they year. Features are getting greater and greater. Are these considered good car? One thought suddenly pops up. To me, good car are those driven by others, to pick me up. No matter what car model they are driving, as long as they are the one driving it for me, those are good cars! Well, cars are actually meant to be a mode of transport anyway. Why be too concerned about their looks and features?

valentine (2)

It is just one day before Valentine's Day and I've gotten two "heart breaking" news. Apparently, two of my friends were out of their relationships.

Relationship is so, you are always either falling in or out of it. I just hoped that these two of my friends, will still have a great Valentine's Day. Do not brood over what was unhappy or what was over.

To my friends who were just out of relationships, life might seems to be a little tougher now, but hang on to it. Be happy and enjoy your days, as you might meet a better one in time to come!

And to my friends who are still single, your better half will be here soon. Be happy and enjoy your days, as you might missed your single days soon!

To my friends who are in relationship or are married, do cherish your better half .Be happy and enjoy your days, as fate is something to be treasured!

valentine

Recently, there is this Valentine's Day video being circulate in the FB. I think it's pretty good. The videographer interviewed 10 couples, by asking them 3 simple questions - How do you meet each other, How long have you been together and lastly, What do you love about each other.

I like the third question - What do you love about each other.

How often do you really think deep into this question? Some couples might have find each other attractive  enough and started hanging out together. Some may just hit off instantaneously and started dating.

But what is it that is in him/her, that makes you think he/she is the one for you?
Or as time goes by, what is it that is in him/her that simply makes you to fall over him/her again and again?
I think the answer to this is the key, or one of the keys, that will locks your relationship tight and firm.

I actually like one of the answers given, for this third question - We can still laugh together.

Being in a relationship, is to being together. Though not necessarily means being physically stuck together, 24 by 7. It is just simply being able to do things together, to laugh together, to enjoy the scenery together, etc, etc.

What would your answer be?
If you have not think of this question before, maybe it's time to put some thought in it.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!