At this time of year or whenever you’re giving presents, particularly children’s toys it’s quite common to hear a version of;
Did you remember to buy batteries?
Unlike lots of presents/toys, you don’t have a little compartment that you can pop new batteries in when you’re drained.
You are a battery, you’re not replaceable but you are rechargeable.
When a battery is being used the store of electrons flows out of the negative terminal as electricity, which gets used up by the motor or the electronics or whatever the battery is powering. And consequently, the store of electrons eventually runs dry and no more toy fun. Cue the tears or “Did you remember to buy more batteries?”.
Like a rechargeable battery, you have a fixed amount of energy that you must replenish or it’s game over. Like a battery, we use up our store of energy on our motors (muscles) and electronics (mind/nervous system) and like a rechargeable battery, we must go through a recharge cycle to replenish.
For us, that recharge cycle involves eating and sleeping/resting. And like the rechargeable battery if we don’t follow the right type of cycle we lose capacity and drain more rapidly.
I think most of us understand that we are what we eat and many understand the link to our physical health but it applies equally to our mental health. Like the electronics in a toy, our nervous system uses electricity to send messages but it also uses chemicals called neurotransmitters particularly in our brain. Many of those neurotransmitters are made by bacteria in our gut. Eat the wrong thing and you don’t give the bacteria the right raw materials or worse kill them off. Low levels of neurotransmitters mean impaired brain function and we feel low/depressed etc. If you don’t know what you should eat to best support your mental health then find a good nutritional therapist as soon as you can.
I also think most people understand that our recharge cycle must include rest, relaxation and sufficient undisturbed deep sleep. Like the battery, we simply don’t recharge as well if we are being used at the same time. What is perhaps a little less understood is that how we use our minds impacts greatly on our ability to relax and sleep. And worse some of the ways we respond to a lack of sleep or relaxation actually reduces our sleep and relaxation even more. We’re in a feedback loop, that rapidly drains and disrupts recharge. Anxiety is a classic example, by worrying we can’t get a good nights sleep we don’t and are likely to worry more about it.
If we consider all the moods or states of mind we can be in it’s relatively easy to understand that they can all be roughly divided into negative and positive states. Others have organised these on a scale. Now if we think of this scale like the negative and positive terminals on a battery then like a battery the more negative we find ourselves the more rapidly we deplete our energy store. Conversely, the more positive we are the more slowly we deplete and the more easily, rapidly we recharge.
Like a battery, we still need the negative states of mind to function as they are very useful in the right circumstances. If I’m crossing the road and I suddenly realise a truck is coming at me much faster then it should I want fear to kick in and get me the hell out of there. However, we waste far less energy by staying positive as much as we can. We then have access to our energy when we really need it. Besides, it’s far more enjoyable to be positive. The added side effect is our recharge cycle works much more effectively.
The great news is despite what you may have heard your electronics are very high quality and you are in full control of what your mind is doing.
I see it time and again in my clinic when a client comes in and tells me “I’m just an anxious person, it’s what I do, always have been, always will be”; WRONG. Very soon that has changed to “I’ve never been so relaxed in my life” or “I sleep so well and just love getting up in the morning” or my favourite “yeah that used to bother me but truthfully I just don’t give a #*&$ anymore”.
Getting back in control of your mind and being more positive doesn’t have to be difficult. Of course, I may be a little biased but the easiest, quickest and cheapest way is to simply come and see me and we can get you sorted.
Naturally, some of you would like some free tips and there are plenty of positive thinking gurus out there, but be warned you can throw as much glitter as you like at someone and it won’t make them happy!
Summary
If you don’t exercise the control you have over your state of mind your energy will drain and your recharge will be ineffective. The End!
OK, you still want tips;
- Eat properly, this means lots of fresh vegetables, variety, nuts, pulses, cheeses, organic meats, etc. Keep carbohydrates like bread and pasta to a minimum and avoid sugar. Lots of water.
- Go see an excellent nutritionist.
- Exercise, like a battery, it’s good to deplete completely as it helps with a better recharge. You also can’t think yourself healthy.
- Breath. There are lots of breathing methods out there, so find one that suits you. Basically deliberate deep breathing has a very calming effect.
- Sleep. Go to bed on time, get up on time. Seriously though don’t expect an efficient battery recharge without enough sleep.
- If you are suffering from anxiety or any state, whatever you call it, where you can’t switch off or can’t switch on then don’t mess around, just call me and we’ll sort it.