“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”
Spring is finally in the air here in Michigan, after feeling the beatdown of the winter season. The temps are reaching towards fifty and sixty degrees, and with the sun peaking through some Michiganders would think we're in Florida. The winter months are brutal on our overall holistic health in many ways. The cold weather has a way of snatching our ability to enjoy outdoor weather, and keeps us grounded inside. The gray skies that dominate our days here in Michigan can be depressive, pushing us towards our favorite comfort coping mechanisms. Sound familiar?
Besides shitty weather, we saw increases in anxiety and depression in the years of 2020-2021 due to everyone’s “favorite” virus, Corona. According to the American Psychological Association, anxiety and depression rates were 4 times higher than in 2019 (APA, 2020).
I am often asked what the answer is in overcoming or changing these feelings that are quite normal for everyone. I wish I had that magic bullet, I’d be a billionaire. The truth is, there are several options that fit each and every one of us. The challenge to change begins with identifying what it is, and figuring out the practice of whatever suits our needs and desires.
Identifying how to overcome our holistic blockades could mean beginning with some guidance. Whether that may be through your primary care physician, mental health therapist, fitness coach, faith community, or engaging with solid friendships or social groups. The key to change is to do something. Once you begin doing something, be consistent. Everything we do should be a practice, if it’s worthy of our wellbeing. Think about it. If you practice drinking a six pack of soda or beer daily, your practice will get you a keg in your midsection before no time. If you practice doing some form of ab exercise daily, minus additional calories in your diet, you’ll attain the six pack you and your partner really desire. Reaching out to your friends or family members once every six months is most likely not going to reap strong bonds or connections, and may keep you isolated. As a matter of fact, research in 2018 by Douglas Nemecek, MD, Cigna’s chief medical officer reports that loneliness is compared to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and is worse than obesity (WebMD, 2018). So, dropping a line just to say hello periodically can go a long way in our overall health, and most often leads to further positive connections.
The truth is that we all fall short in one way, many ways, or another. That’s okay, keep Practicing the practice. The other day I ran into a person who looked identical to a close friend of mine that I haven’t seen in five years. After giving this individual the creeps by staring at him oddly in the locker room of my workout facility, I called out my friend's name only to have him say, “no Richard.” I laughed and told him he definitely has a twin he must have been split from at birth. Afterwards on my way home I called my friend for the first time in years, and connected with him last week for lunch. I could have easily dismissed the coincidental sighting of his look-alike twin, and never reached out, but instead listened to the internal voice that encouraged me to reach out. Lastly, be aware of your internal voice that leads you in one direction or another. Oftentimes our negative inner voice steers us away from what we should do, and towards what we shouldn’t. This internal battle rages inside all of us all the time.
It’s been quite some time since I’ve completed a blog entry, a little over one year. I have often thought about taking the time to sit down to write some thoughts, and usually found a reason not to do so. It feels really good to be back. In whatever ways we find ourselves stuck, start somewhere, someplace, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. Something is better than nothing.
Peace and love my friends
Rueben
“So don’t turn your back on yourself
’Cause there’s nowhere to run
You know your life ain’t a practice run,
It’s time to wake up your mind, oh yeah, yeah
For maybe tomorrow will never come”