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How to Jump-Start Your Emotional Health
By
Patricia Wagner
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You've probably heard the
expression: "It's not what you're eating. It's what's
eating you!" This well-known saying reminds us that
the thoughts we entertain can have an impact on our
health.
Scientists have discovered that what you're thinking
actually affects your physical health as well as your
emotional well-being. Ulcers, indigestion, nervousness,
high blood pressure and a wide variety of diseases can
result from an injured immune system brought on by harmful
thought patterns.
There are thoughts that heal and thoughts that hurt.
If you read this article through to the end, you will
discover an effective tool to enhance your emotional and
physical health.
Here are five keys to emotional well-being:
1. Emotions tag right along behind your thoughts, so guard
your mind carefully.
Your emotions can't tell if what you're thinking about is
really happening or if it's just an image in your head.
Prove this to yourself by thinking back to when you
watched a terrifying scene on television on in a movie.
Even though you knew what you were watching wasn't
actually happening, you were still scared - weren't you?
Here's something to consider. About ten minutes after you
start to dwell on something, corresponding emotions will
follow.
We are what we eat - both physically and mentally. Pay
close attention to what you're feeding your mind. The
books, television, movies, newspapers and even the jokes
we hear enter into our lives and become part of us.
So what's eating you? Examine what you're feeling and then
ask yourself this question, "What have I been
thinking about recently?"
If you have a garbage can for a head, life will look like
garbage to you.
2. Learn to develop a cheerful attitude toward life.
Life can be painful, but it's possible to overcome.
Choose to behave in a cheerful way as much as possible
even if you don't feel like it. You may be surprised at
what happens. Cheerfulness is contagious.
A positive attitude toward life may help ward off
sicknesses. Psychology Professor Sheldon Cohen (Carnegie
Mellon University, Pittsburgh) found that relaxed, happy
people are less prone to catch colds than unhappy, anxious
people.
3. Deal with stress as an opportunity to grow.
Stress can be a killer.
People who go through stressful events seem to get sicker
more often than those who have less problems confronting
them. But some people thrive on stress. This tends to show
that the problem is not stress, but how we deal with it.
When we experience times of anxiety and fear, our brains
release hormones as part of the fight-flight syndrone to
prepare us for dangerous situations. When the body
receives too many of these "danger" messages
from our brains, our disease-resistance systems are
weakened.
Stressful situations seem to cause increased illnesses in
those who consider themselves to be victims and who react
with anxiety and frustration.
Others see stressful situations as opportunities to
overcome. So why not choose this positive approach
yourself?
4. Make the right friends.
Select people who are cheerful instead of depressed for
the majority of your friends.
Emotions can be transferred almost by osmosis. Retired
baseball Coach, John Scolinos (from California Polytechnic
College, Pomona), used to tell his winning baseball
players, "Show me who you're with and I'll tell you
who you are."
We need a positive social life that includes friends,
close family members, churches and members of
organizations.
Those who have satisfying social lives enjoy improved
resistance to illness.
5. Let wisdom from the world's greatest book be your
guide.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed
spirit dries up the bones" (Proverbs 17:22 NIV).
"All the days of the afflicted are bad, but a
cheerful heart has a continual feast." (Proverbs
15:15 NASV).
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Want to jump-start your emotional health? Stop letting
what's eating you hurt you and begin to enjoy life in a
brand new way.
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