The Health and Wellness Corner

[Falcon Red]

Over the last several years, mental and physical health have been a big ambition of mine. Finding ways to challenge, heal, and better myself from my past and for a better future. I've taken a great leaning towards a "Mind-Body-Spirit" mentality. Just as much, I enjoy the aspect of "humans helping humans."

In this corners, I think it'd be interesting to ask each other tips and tricks to help improve and stimulate our overall health. Understanding that very few of us are actual doctors and further self research will likely be necessary, maybe we can still help each other on our own journey!

Ask questions, or offer advice, be apart of the conversation!

[Miss Devil]

Portion control.

This was something that took me a while to understand, but I eat about 5 small meals a day and drink a ton of water which has help satiate my appetite. Also I am not super into physical activities but depending on the weather and since I live on the water, I enjoy swimming and I walk a lot (still).

As far as mental health goes, I have a journal that I've kept. I am on book number 6 of my journaling. It's become a place to vent, self-reflect, and has personally helped me store my thoughts, goals and aspirations. It's also good to look back on past goals and dreams and see what I have achieved and what I am still working towards. I also learned through friends and just life in general that everyone moves at their own pace in this game called life. We all are at different stages in our journey of healing/self-discovery and that every day is something precious.

[Falcon Red]

Portion control is major. I've heard a lot of interesting takes on it. Like most diets, particularly fad diets, work because they are a form of portion control in their own way. I mean there is a lot more to it in the negative and positive aspects, but that is kind of what it comes down to.

Journaling is amazing. It's a habit I haven't been able to develop myself but it's constantly being presented to me almost like a sign that I need to!

I very much agree with that take. It shifts mindset from life being a competition to life being a collaboration where we help each other. We are ahead and behind each other in different aspects of our lives, so how does that make us better or worse? Love that approach!

I think the mind-body-spirit thing for me has become a personal philosophy because it kind of explains how everything is connected. If you're hurting spiritually, than it can bring down the mental and the physical in certain aspects. I never press on what spiritual means though because it can be different for anyone. It's such a personal approach to how we relate to the beyond/internal. "As above, so below."

[Miss Devil]

Eh, I am not super big into the spirituality of mind/body. I just know that with a clear mind comes a healthy body. Journaling, which honestly may seem corny to some, is actually beneficial as a way to vent out thoughts without having to have the consequences of those thoughts out in the world. When I started, I had a journal that contained all my negative thoughts, about myself, relationships, anything that I knew was mean, hateful or even cruel. After almost two years of venting all the negativity out; I burned the book. Perhaps it was a way of healing away those negative emotions/thoughts/feelings, IDK. I will say I am more at peace with myself than I was before I burnt it.

Journaling is all about personal discovery. It's not a style that's for everyone, I will say that much. I just use it for personal reflection now versus when I started. It has truly been a journey and I am glad I can reflect back on my past and see how different a person I am now versus then.

It's why I return to RPA often. This place is a reflection of who I was, who I am, and who I aspire to be. In a way RPA is like a piece of my journal, though not physical it's still a place where I can self-reflect and look back on and say "ah, that is who I was." A place where I can see my immature self and take a different perspective on the why.

[Kiki]

Organization. I treat a few hours each week as "personal admin time" aka get my shit together time.

I cross-check my planners, my work schedule, and my to-do lists. It really helps me manage my time, and make sure I don't forget anything.

[omgLYNX]

Taking a walk to a park of something could have some therapeutic benefits.

[Falcon Red]

This is absolutely beautiful and a great way to put it. It is funny, I've come back to RPA myself for similar reasons. I feel like through my growth I am still cringing at some of the ways that I was, but I'm not debilitated by it anymore. I feel like I'm on my way to a newly profound acceptance and maybe the I can try and work writing back into my life as a more beneficial practice. So honestly, good job and thanks for being an inspiration!

Kiki, I fully agree on this! I've really been working on personal organization over the last couple years. I feel I do better with planning day be day either in the morning or evening, but I'm still exploring what kind of daily planner works best for me. I think I've narrowed it down to a style but it's not quite right. I think organization is important but it means something different for different people.

Love a good walk! I like to try and take a monthly hike out in the woods at minimum. EMDR is soemthing that really helped me in Therapy, and I grew a lot from it and learned to take on many interests. Always wanted to hike more and when I learned that EMDR was discovered by a psychologist while hiking because of the benefits of hiking, it stuck!

[Kiki]

EMDR is all bilateral stimulation, so walking is the same idea!

I was going to recommend therapy, but I AM biased after all (being a therapist).

I like talking to other people about money lately; I find it really healthy since so much of what we do or need or want has to do with finances, and yet a lot of people don't think about/talk about money in healthy ways.

[omgLYNX]

I like talking to other people about money lately; I find it really healthy since so much of what we do or need or want has to do with finances, and yet a lot of people don't think about/talk about money in healthy ways.

I find it interesting that the entire world operates on little more than pieces of linen paper and thin plastic.

But US money isn't really good. The most counterfeited currency in the world is the US $20 bill, because it's so easy to do compared to literally any other currency on the planet.

[Falcon Red]

Faaaacts! I absolutely hated going through EMDR, but it was SO beneficial and triggered a lot of my growth and healing since I went through it. Therapy was hard starting out but I try and maintain a weekly check in just to make sure I'm on track with my goals. I encourage therapy, especially since I call myself a mental health advocate. Hard to be an advocate and not advocate therapy at the same time haha.

Finances have a been a big thing on my end lately. A lot of life changes, one namely being a new position in my company that ended up being a bigger pay cut than I realized, but it came with far more benefits, so learning to adapt and adjust to the new financial situation has been a big thing.