Restoring Balance to the Mind

We underestimate - and often forget - how fundamental our state of mind is to the health of our physical body. A mind which is obsessed or focussed solely on problems may not have the capacity or be open to receiving solutions in the form of new ideas and information. When we are confronted with an illness, switching our focus to correcting long-term imbalances moves us into a healing and transformational process to restore equilibrium. 

Simplify your life:

Having lots of commitments, appointments, responsibilities and projects naturally requires that the mind engage in systems and methods to plan, organise and think. When the work-play or busy-rest ratio is chronically imbalanced, we can exhaust ourselves on the never-ending hamster-wheel of over-thinking. The nervous system never quite reaches a genuine, rejuvenating state of relaxation: the mind is never at peace. 

Tune into your thoughts:

To recognise where our mind habitually places its focus, periods of space and reflection, free from distraction and outside influences, provide the opportunity to observe our thoughts. It may be that we are locked into emotional stories and hurts from the past which continue to feed thoughts and beliefs in present-day life of being small, powerless, wrestling with unresolved resentments and low self-esteem.

Writing thoughts down on paper helps to concretise them and places them outside of us, creating distance and neutrality. From this vantage, one can examine the thought’s truthfulness and validity in the present moment. Perhaps the thought isn’t what you truly believe; it could have come from a conversation, an encounter with a teacher or authority figure from long ago, from a news report or opinion piece… We are constantly absorbing ideas, opinions and facts, including false information, and most have no direct link to our lived personal experience.

If you recognise that a thought is steering your emotions in the direction of negativity and leading to a cavalcade of fear-based beliefs, you do have the power to course-correct. Planting seeds for new ideas and possibilities for your life begins with making the decision to break from old, outdated and limiting beliefs.

Reflect on what your mind consumes:

Consciously choosing to sustain these new seeds means accepting responsibility for the nourishment you provide. Every piece of information that we read, watch, hear and our lived experiences affects our thoughts, beliefs and nervous system. This is how our perception of reality is formed.  It is easy to overconsume salacious and sensationalist stories through the lens of media. It’s difficult and requires self-discipline to schedule periods of time offline and to engage with creative activities and real-life encounters that promote mental wellbeing. However, this is vital for holistic health.  

Focus on health, wellbeing, joy and peace:

Seek out information, ideas, people and habits that will help you create more of what you want to experience in life. Do you have any long-forgotten passions or hobbies? What interests you or stirs your curiosity? Be open to learning new skills and knowledge. The world is full of possibilities but when our lives have become habitual and small, we lose sight of this.

If your mind is rarely at peace, affirmations, mantras, spending more time in nature or meditation will help to provide the balance you seek. If your news and social media consumption is high, consider substituting some of that time to listen to uplifting podcasts or music. Real-life relationships can be a rich source of comfort and connection, significantly influencing mental and emotional wellbeing.   

The Gut-Mind relationship:

The link between gut health and mental wellbeing is widely acknowledged. Help the microbiome flourish through eating plants and fibre, drinking enough water, relaxation techniques, regular exercise and social contact. It really is that simple. The gut is the ultimate powerhouse in converting the food we eat into the energy required to rebalance, replenish and renew the physical body. Seeing your physical body regenerate throughout and after treatment and recovery is tangible and positive feedback to soothe the mind.

Thoughts are the seeds of new possibilities...