We all agree that it has been a challenging time for us over the last year.
But especially lately more than ever, as things have become overwhelming again due to constant news updates that we are bombarded with, on everything that is going wrong within our country.
In such times, we want to come forth to remind you of the little you can do, to make things right again.
Before we proceed, it is imperative that you understand what is not in your control, is out of your control. But what IS in your control, can be changed. Hence, that is where our focus and energy must be directed towards.
You, us, and we all have been experiencing feelings of anxiety, stress, and a general sense of unease. And know this, you are certainly not alone!
At IHO, we are continuously looking for ways to elevate your mental and physical well-being and during these trying times, we want to step up our game to be able to provide help on any level.
Let's start with awareness first. Listed below are ways you can help manage those uncomfortable feelings that continue to rise every now and then.
1. Movement: It's Therapeutic. Get Your Body Moving.
For those of us that aren't used to exercising, it is definitely a struggle to get up and exert ourselves to engage in physical activity. But here's the truth that should push you: As humans, our bodies were designed to move. Even as hunter-gatherers, we used to walk for miles before we could eat our first meal. Though the world has evolved, our bodies haven't evolved at the same pace. So the sluggish lifestyles that involve us sitting at a desk for hours cause our bodies to decay over time. Which is precisely why movement is so important for your overall well-being. Apart from this, exercise has been shown to be a mood-lifter. It naturally releases feel-good hormones such as serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins which help combat feelings of restlessness and anxious energy that's persistent within the mind/body.
No, we're not saying that it has to be a crazy 5-km sprint or a heavy weightlifting session, but anything that results in movement, the heart beating faster, and sweat being released.
It's really not that hard. For eg.: You can stand up while watching the TV and do sets of 15-20 squats, or follow a YouTube tutorial on how to do Surya Namaskars (yoga) and practise for a few days. Do it for 30 mins - 1 hour every day and feel the difference. Don't let any excuses pull you down, a 1-hour workout or yoga routine is still less than 4% of your whole day.
PS: Putting on some loud music and dancing also counts as exercise!
2. Limit What You Mentally Consume.
They say you are what you eat. But you are not just what you eat. You are also what you read, what you watch, what you listen to, what you consume.
It is important you keep a check on yourself with the amount of negative information you may be consuming through news channels or while scrolling through social media. More often than not, especially when the world around us is in a crisis mode, there is a plethora of distressing content being broadcasted around everywhere, and naturally, we get sucked into this black hole. This adversely affects our thinking, how we feel, and how we choose to go about our days.
Be mindful of how many minutes you spend watching the news. Limit your daily intake of the same and remind yourself that what is not in your control, you can not change. This mindset will help you focus on the things you can change and direct your energy there.
A few tips to help you limit your intake is to schedule a certain time of the day where you choose to update yourself with the news, to set app locks on your social media channels so you don't exceed the limit, and to find replacement activities to indulge in instead, such as learning to cook a new recipe, picking up a new book, listening to a podcast, or even creating one.
3. Mindfulness & Meditation - Your Mind's Best Friend.
The benefits of mindfulness and practising meditation are immense. Science has proven it as well. Mindfulness helps you to stay aware of the present moment instead of getting caught up in the memories of the past and worries of the future. Being mindful helps to train your mind to be in control, instead of letting the mind control you.
While meditating, you will be able to identify the unhelpful and fear-based thoughts that occur on a repetitive basis. Once you learn to detach from them, you will naturally feel lighter, better rested, and your mind will feel clearer. Not to mention, happier too!
If you're looking to get started and have never practised meditation before, don't worry! There are plenty of guided meditations across platforms like YouTube and Spotify, where all you are required to do is plug in a pair of earphones, find a comfortable place where you will be undisturbed for 5, 10, 20, 30 minutes (your choice), close your eyes and follow through.
As you practise, you will realise how much your mind controls you instead of you controlling it. And slowly, with consistent practise, you will start to develop your own ways of finding that inner sense of quiet.
4. Connect, Check In, and Say Hello!
We, as humans, are social animals and strive on building trusting relationships. However, a lot of us tend to isolate ourselves when feeling anxious or stressed. This could be dangerous as it puts us in an endless loop with our own thoughts. But now more than ever, it is imperative that we re-connect with our near and dear ones, spark a conversation on what is bothering us, and eventually feel comforted by realising that we are not alone and everyone is going through a tough time. The act of sharing, connecting provides great relief. Communicating is essential and you must not shy away from it. Instead, drop in a text to an old friend, catch up with a dear relative, and use this time to re-connect with your loved ones.
5. Routine, Routine, Routine!
Building a routine can help provide a great degree of structure within your day. It also helps you stay more focused instead of having scattered energy spread everywhere, amidst 100 things to do. When you streamline your goals for the day, you also streamline your mindset to stay more focused on those specific tasks, and naturally, you get more done. As you accomplish your goals, your body releases dopamine in the body - making you feel good and even more motivated to get more done. And it becomes a constant cycle of accomplishing goals.
However, for this, you definitely need a routine. If you lack a routine, you will naturally get lesser done, making you feel demotivated and unfocused. To help you get started, set anchor points in your day for 3 key activities you'd like to pursue. Such as: finishing your meditation by 10am, or reading 100 pages of a book by noon, or finishing your workout by 7 pm, etc. As you get into the practise of this, you will naturally be able to add more tasks and routines for the day.
6. Last, but also our most favourite - The CannaBliss Stress Buster Oil!
Sometimes, we are unable to deal with anxiety and stress by ourselves. It's similar to, when our body becomes deficient in its immunity, we tend to eat immune-rich foods. Likewise, when we take up more mental stress than we should, it impacts our body and mind adversely. In times like these, the Stress Buster oil comes of great help. Unlike supplements, it does not alter your physiology on a surface level. Instead, the Cannabliss Stress Buster Oil works with your body's internal systems to identify, locate, and fix areas of imbalance in the mind and body. For example, an overactive and anxious mind could be because of an imbalance in neurochemistry, or because of a lack of oxygen and blood being supplied to all parts of the brain. This results in stress, anxiety, which eventually leads to other factors such as weight gain, feelings of laziness, irritability, etc.
But with the Stress Buster Oil, you can bring your mind and body into a state of harmony and equilibrium. The oil contains molecules called cannabinoids that are naturally derived from the medical cannabis plant, and these bind to receptors already present within the human body, fitting like a lock into a key. As this interaction between the cannabinoids and receptors happens, changes start taking place to ensure wherever there is an imbalance in the mind, that area is brought back into balance, from the root level.
Naturally, this results in your brain feeling clearer, lesser fatigued, no brain fog, with feelings of happiness being released into the body. All this, completely naturally, and with no side effects. Science has proven the miracles of medical cannabis, and now it's time you feel it for yourself. The human body also produces these molecules, however, a deficiency in their production can start to affect mood, appetite, and sleep amongst other symptoms.
So, who's ready to feel their best? We sure are!
