This weekend, I was helping a friend brainstorm a new business venture, including concept details, logistics, name, and branding. Although we tossed around a lot of ideas and developed a pretty solid plan of what he wants to achieve, we were never quite satisfied with the naming/branding aspect. When I got back from my run, I was able to email him three new name ideas and a picture on which he could base a logo. He may reject them entirely, but I think it is a great illustration of how our brains work.

If we push too hard in any area (physically or mentally for example), we will burn out and cease to be able to function; however, if we allow ourselves time to recover we can continue to function at a normal level. Further more, if we push ourselves beyond what we are used to and allow ourselves to recover, we build our capacity in that area (physical, mental, etc). That is exactly what I was doing with my long run today, which I ended with a sprint. I am now sitting quietly writing while my body recovers. In the same way, I am now able to engage my brain more because I allowed it to rest while I was pushing myself physically.

Have you ever noticed that your best ideas come when you are at rest or distracted, like when you are in bed, in the shower, or exercising. In addition, I find I have new ideas and come to new understandings while drying my hair. When you get stuck on a problem or find you’re not being as productive as you would like, oscillate to a new activity and allow that part of your brain to rest. Engaging yourself physically will help you grow physically and mentally.

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Reduce Stress to Recover Clear Thoughts

The people in our lives, the experiences we have had, and the lessons we have learned have shaped all the details of our lives, including our daily habits. It is not always easy to live a life without regrets, but you must forgive yourself for your past choices. Remind yourself that you made the best choice that you could at that moment based on the information that you had.

On the other hand, sometimes we consciously make choices that we know are not the absolute best, but we do so to meet some need or desire in that moment. A silly example would be ordering french fries instead of apple slices at McDonald’s because you don’t want cold food. Sometimes in life, we make the least best decision in areas that have a greater impact on our life, now and long-term. Most people can probably think of a friend who dated someone that just was not good enough of for him or her. Questioning my friend’s decision could hurt our friendship; instead I try to understand that there is some reason for my friend to make this (temporary) decision.

Life has brought you to this moment. You have done the best that you can, and you are a person of value. It is important to accept who you are right now. As you look to the future, there may be areas you would like to improve or things you would like to do differently. Rather than feeling negatively about what you have yet to achieve, think of these things as goals. Perhaps accepting who you are includes the assessment of yourself as someone who is constantly improving. DietsInReview can be a great place to get ideas about how to achieve your goals. No matter where you are in your journey of growth, do not forget that you have value just where you are right now.

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Valuing Your Past, Present, and Future

When I quit drinking soda, I was not addicted and did not have withdrawals, but it was the first thing I reached for when craving sweet or wanting a boost in the afternoon. Rather than trying to control what has become an unconscious reaction, you may find it easier to control the stimuli that cause that reaction or create new stimuli to create a new reaction.

Are you trying to stop a certain habit or reaction, create a new habit, or replace an old habit with a new one? When trying to stop a specific reaction, it can be helpful to remove those things that might encourage that reaction and introduce new cues that discourage that reaction.

If you want to quit smoking, you don’t want to buy cigarettes and have them available. Posting a picture of yourself at your highest weight on your refrigerator is a common stimulus people use to discourage excess snacking.  If you are trying to improve your health by adding flossing to your daily schedule, a post-it note on the bathroom mirror might be the only added stimulus you need until it becomes an unconscious part of your routine. If you want to start eating healthier snacks instead of junk, put the graham crackers on the eye level shelf and the junk food out of site.

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Simple Steps to Make Habit Changes Easier

The stoic philosopher Epictetus reminded us that “what upsets people is not things themselves but their judgments about the things.” Every person has a somewhat different reaction to the same event. Some will find family gatherings to cause distress, while others will find that the effort required to prepare and travel for such events are well worth the renewal received. I have a very dear friend who in one week experienced her husband leaving her, being fired from her job, and being diagnosed with breast cancer; she considered it an opportunity for a new start and to refocus on herself.

What my friend knows is that stress is the essence of growth. Just like weight training, we require resistance to grow. Those who have trained for a marathon understand that training is stressing yourself on a regular basis, pushing yourself beyond your normal limits and allowing yourself to recover, increasing your capacity. Those who are the most practiced at dealing with things and have the most to deal with are the most capable. Have you ever heard the phrase if you want something done give it to someone who is busy? It is easier to add in one more unplanned store to your list of errands than to get out of the house to go to that one place if you were not intending on leaving home. It is also important to remember that we are most at risk of death within the first six months of retirement; we need stress to survive!

See the rest of Brooke’s series on stress:
Stress: The Bad
Stress: The Ugly

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Stress: The Good