Mental & Emotional Health

Positive self talk and repetition is one way people successfully manage pain and stress.

When you keep repeating something over and over again positive or negative, you start to believe it. This is precisely why many people have negative tapes playing in their heads years later about themselves.

You don’t need to keep telling yourself you’re sick or weak even if you feel that way. If you begin to tell yourself you’re healthy and strong instead, that is what you will likely become.

On the other hand, complaining can become a habit because it’s rewarded by friends and family members with attention. If you grimace and say you’re sick and in pain, it often gets a reaction from people who care about you. Although it may be true, the more you’re rewarded for being sick and in pain, the more frequently you may complain so it becomes a cycle.

Exercise

Avoiding exercise to avoid pain often backfires because muscles tend to atrophy the less you use them. When you do finally use them, the pain may be worse. A lot of people joke about hating their physiotherapist but in the end, they become stronger by continuing to exercise.

Nutrition

Eating a varied diet that includes a balance of healthy fruits and vegetables is important and a good idea for anyone who wants to stay healthy and strong. Foods that are high in fat, sugar and additives contribute to more health problems. If you have a fatalistic view and think you’re going to be sick anyway so eat junk, then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy.

Beliefs

The belief that you’re in control of your own destiny rather than at the mercy of some preordained fate is empowering. If someone or something else is in control that also means you can blame someone, which puts you in a victim position.

How do you come to believe that you’re in control of your own life and health?

One way you could increase that belief is to look to others for inspiration. Many people have managed to improve their health and decreased pain with positive thoughts and actions. These actions may include prayer, meditation and visualization. Others find creative pursuits to be a good stress release and distraction.

• Jennifer Mannion is an example of a person who managed to heal her pain naturally. Her blog is dedicated to help people do that so she expands on how various methods worked for her. Jennifer’s most recent post was how thoughts affect your body. She explains how she was able to heal herself and includes some interesting article links.