It is becoming more and more clear that our bodies and minds are deeply connected. It used to be common practice to view, evaluate, and treat them as separate body systems, however, newer research is showing that this is not the best approach. This connection is extremely powerful and can have exponentially positive or negative impacts on our lives, depending on how we use it. 

It’s easy to look at the mind-body connection and view the trouble it can cause. Mental stress can easily turn into physical stress, leading to not only mental illnesses but physical ones that tag along for the ride. The same can happen in the reverse, where physical illnesses can trigger struggles in our mind. While it’s easy to look at the bad, let’s shift for a moment to looking at the good.

If the mind and body are so powerfully connected that illness in one can trigger illness in the other, then it must be true that wellness in one can also trigger wellness in the other. Our minds and bodies are the most powerful tools we have to bring about overall wellness to our system. When I am experiencing struggles in my mind, such as feelings of depression or anxiety, I have learned that I can turn to my body to help mitigate these feelings. 

The body cannot make changes to the mind by itself. As the powerful tool that it is, it must be used, or put into motion. Putting our body into motion is what fully ignites its power and creates impact in our minds. Just as we wouldn’t expect a tool such as a hammer to work well without proper intentions and someone swinging it, we can’t expect our bodies to work without proper intentions and initiations of action either. 

Three of my favorite physical actions to take that help me shift my mental state include taking deep belly breaths, going for walks, and stretching. 

One of my favorite parts of these physical actions is that they are all free and accessible at any time, anywhere. The first thing I do when I notice I am in an undesirable mental state is take as deep of a breath as possible. Taking deep breaths triggers our vagus nerve to turn on our parasympathetic nervous system, or the “rest and digest” system that helps initiate relaxation in our bodies. With intentional practice over time, you’ll notice that just one deep breath can trigger both your body and mind to relax. 

If deep breathing is not enough, I will put the rest of my body into motion through either a walk or through more stationary movement like stretching. Both of these are very gentle on the body and have low barriers to entry, meaning it’s not too difficult to convince ourselves to get started. 

Taking action is not something we always want to do, even when we know that it will be beneficial. When I am struggling to initiate this physical action within my body, I use the 5-Second Rule where I count down from five and when I get to one, I take action. 

Remember that you are important, your health is worth taking care of, and that you do not need to turn momentary pain into prolonged suffering. Tap into your body, your readily available tool, to shift from a state of illness into a state of wellness. The more we can do this, the easier it is to move toward overall and lasting health.

Xoxo

Coach Maggi