The Mental Emotional Health Blog

If you get the chance, spend some time outside this weekend. Observe and enjoy nature. Breathe some fresh air that hasn’t been pumped through vents. Take in some light that isn’t fluorescent. Look at colors that aren’t painted on walls. Listen to the wind blowing leaves around instead of the television.  Take your time instead of rushing.

I decided to try something new for this entry. For some reason I like to fill out brief questionnaires and polls online. I can read, think for a few seconds, and choose an answer. This is meant to be a little thought-provoking, although this is my first attempt so we’ll see.

So in MentalEmotionalHealth.com fashion, here we go: Decide which of the two choices you would pick if it had to be at the expense of the other. So pick one as if you know you would lose out on the other choice for each topic.

1. Personal - Which do you value more:  Integrity or Charity?
2. Personal - Freedom or Safety?
3. Personal - Which would you prefer: Facing your fears or living within your comfort level?
4. Personal - Which do you value more: Open-mindedness or Being correct?
5. Personal - Would you rather be well-liked or well-respected?
6. Relationships -  Honesty or Consistency?
7. Relationships - What you need or what you want?
8. Relationships - Would you rather have a life-long good friend or be with your soul-mate for 2 years?
9. Spiritual - Which do you value more: Being part of a faith community or Your individual expression of faith?
10. Culture - A world without music or a world without art?
11. Pets - Dogs or cats or other?
12. Iconic Cartoon Characters - Bugs Bunny or Mickey Mouse?

There are days when it’s tough to walk out the door after work without carrying some “emotional baggage” with you.

1. After you arrive at work and just before you start your day, close your eyes, picture yourself in a good frame of mind for the day, and take 2 deep, cleansing breaths.
2. Make your smiles simple and sincere.
3. Send a short, supportive or complimenting email to a co-worker you enjoy working with. 
4. Avoid listening to and spreading gossip. 
5. Right before you leave work, or just after you get outside, mentally review the day you just had in your mind (take about 30 seconds to 1 minute). Consider the emotion you felt most often that day (whether you think it was positive or negative), and then reflect on something positive outside of work. This provides a nice transition from your work life to your personal life.

I am taking an business class online right now (as if I didn’t have enough to do already). It’s a great class, and as students we are learning about clarifying your purpose, your vision, and your values. Going through these has reminded me of the phrase, which I’ll paraphrase,”If you do what you love, it isn’t work.”

I read something recently in R.J. Leider’s book, The Power of Purpose, about the idea of purpose being expressed through work . That got me thinking about work mindsets. What if you didn’t always look at work as just work? Instead, what if you looked at each workday as an opportunity to stretch your mind? It is idealistic and simple. Maybe that’s why it appeals to me.

Anyway, I tried that mindset today. I forgot for a good part of the day, but did manage a few times to remain aware of stretching my mind and my limits instead of just working. Now that the workday is over, I feel I accomplished something personal in a small but significant way.

Anyway, feel free to try it out yourself and let me know what you think. Take care!

Friendships are obviously important. It’s also easy sometimes to get caught up in life’s routines so much that it’s hard to remember the last time you just hung out with a good friend. Work, family, errands, and housework all need attention. But you should add friendship to the list too. At least add the friendships that feel good to you.

That doesn’t mean you drop all of your responsibilities all the time and meet with your friends. It does mean that you drop all of your responsibilities for an hour or two once in a while and unwind. People need healthy ways to disconnect from the frantic pace of life and stress. Friends have a way of providing an escape, an enjoyable distraction, a few laughs, or sincere advice.

Emails and phone calls are two ways to connect but there’s something about seeing and talking with a friend, or even a group of friends, that is more beneficial. Email is visual. Phone conversation is audial (you can hear it) and interactive. In-person conversation is visual, audial, interactive, and you can feel and share a type of interpersonal energy.  We  generally get more from meeting with a friend face-to-face. So don’t neglect it.