In the song “How I’m Feeling Now” by Lewis Capaldi this lyric sums it up,” I’m always Trapped inside my Fucking Head. ” Those moments where you are sitting on your couch at home but really you are not there because you are stuck in your thoughts. Those thoughts that you ruminate over and over and over again. Even though you sit on that couch for some time nothing really changes. The exhausting process of being stuck in your head is all time consuming. Not one individual is immune to this occurrence in one’s life. We all have moments in our lives where we keep playing a scenario over in our heads and before you know it a lot of time has past. This obsessive thought process will have a effect on your mind and body. How can we Be Kind to Our Minds when the dilemma is racing through all of the pathways in our brains? The answer is, you can’t “Be Kind to Your Mind” when you are stuck in this pattern.
How can we break this unproductive life habit? Honestly, that is really not an easy question for me to answer for you. The human mind is a complicated organ and sometimes it is hard to control our thought process. As a Therapist it is in my nature to analyze people, places and things and this can cause me to be in my head a lot. I realized over time that these thoughts are ok, when I allow them to have only a short amount of time taking over my thought process. We love to do a lot of processing of our life and events in our minds, this is how we Problem Solve. There is a line that one can cross over between Problem Solving and Unproductive Thoughts.
I guess that I am in a Lewis Capaldi mood today because the song that comes to mind is, “The Ancient Art of Fucking Up.” The title and lyrics are a pure example of “Not Being Kind to Your Mind” In the same breath this artist uses his lyrics and voice to process his thoughts. Instead of letting them continue to turn over and over again in his thoughts he puts the thoughts to lyrics. By completing this process the artist is breaking a habit of his negative thoughts, being trapped in his brain.
I know that you all can relate to the times where you are stuck in your head. Do you realize how detrimental this can be to your mind? If we process information in our brains but do not allow it to be released many emotional and physical side effects will occur. Anxiety Being Unproductive Dysfunctional Relationships
Stress Unfinished Tasks Loss of your job
Disorganization Obsessive behaviors and thoughts Health problems
Depression Unable to focus
“Be Kind to Your Mind” is a novel approach to coping with being “Stuck in Our Heads.” There are a lot of negative things about Social Media; however, one positive aspect is that it is a forum for self-expression. I believe you may have even witnessed this from the individuals you follow on platforms. Their comments and feelings are posted and sometimes it is hard to decipher where that thought comes from. If it is a form of Self-Expression to get out of their heads, then it is being used as a Coping Mechanism. Sometimes the individual has a method to their madness. Who are we to question their process? I must make this point however, if someone you follow seems to be in trouble emotionally or physically that is a red flag that needs to be reported. Many times it’s a way to connect with others who are going through similar troubles. Connecting with others and getting out of our heads is a great way to stop the process of hurting our mind.
I have started to delve into an unconventional way of Self-Expression through displaying words and thoughts. I am able to express myself without ever speaking a word out of my mouth and yet the message is communicated. Messages that we send others is a release of our thoughts being trapped inside of us. This unconventional form of communication is a great way to impact your world and others. There is a great power in the act of releasing our inner thoughts. I recently became a Brand Ambassador for a company called @ownyoustigma. When listening to your favorite recording artist you can hear the passion and the self-expression as they sing their songs. I mean you can literally feel their psychological release as they perform the song. This is a coping mechanism that is great with those talents.
I am always going to put you to work after you listen to my Podcast or read my Blog and today is no different. Recording artists use music as their muse of releasing their obsessive thoughts. In what way can you release the thoughts that are trapped in your brain? How can You Be Kind to Your Mind? Podcasting and blogging are my form of release. I am almost completed with Season 4 and yet I can only reach individuals through technology. This is why I wanted to become a Brand Ambassador for a company that takes the stigma out of mental health issues. This is where my epiphany happened. I can wear their apparel on social media and when I am out in the world, I can express a thought without ever opening my mouth. The thoughts of “Being Kind to Your Mind.”
Click on my Social Media accounts and you can see me doing a video about “tattoo therapy” and yet I am wearing a baseball cap that has another message on it. I recently went on a vacation and yet at the same time I was able to spread the message of “Positive Mental Health.” I wore a shirt that said, “Self-care Badass,” “Coffee, Dogs & Mental Health or my cap that stated,”Be Kind to Your Mind.” I even had a gentlemen interrupt his moment of smoking a pipe to come up to me and say, “Your hat, you are so right, we are not kind enough to our minds, not kind at all.” Wearing this cap was to remind myself to Be Kind to my Mind: however, I had an impact on another individual as well. I have to say what an Empowering moment that was for me. On this same trip I was impacted by someone’s else’s shirt. I was on the elevator and a man got on with his wife. His shirt read, NO HATE! The thought was sparked in me and we began to have a conversation talking about how the Hate in today’s world needs to be quelled. We both talked about how we need to be more understanding of others and to respect varying opinions. It was meant to be that we both were on the elevator at that moment because we were both wearing apparel that spread a message.
How many of you have stickers on the bumper of your car or a window that states something? I bet I got a lot of head nods with that comment. The kind of dogs we have, the college we support and maybe even your support of a person or place etc. Thoughts that you struggle with can be expressed on your cars, water bottles, shirts, hats, social media posts, Even if your shirt reads, “I F-cked Up” you are letting the message be released from your brain. This world is ever changing and the challenges to continue to grow. Keeping them locked away in your brain will only create dysfunction. It is time for you to go to work and find new and innovative ways to get your thoughts out. My shirt that I mentioned I wore from @ownyourstigma “Coffee, Dogs and Mental Health” reminds me that if I have these 3 components in each day then I am Being Kind to my Mind. I ask the question to you one more time, “How are You going to Be Kind to Your Mind” today? Set your sights on creating an emotionally healthier you each day, when you practice self-care. Maybe even wear the shirt, “Self-care Badass.” Go to Etsy, they have some really great apparel. These items might even share the same message that has been rattling around in your brain. One of my favorites that I have seen on Etsy and Social Media is placed on the back of a sweatshirt. It reads, “Dear Person behind me, the world is a better place with you in it. Love, the person in front of you.” What a message to send to the person behind you without ever opening your mouth. This just proves that we can continue to find new and creative ways to express ourselves and to Be King to Your Mind!
POSITIVE THOUGHTS CREATE POSITIVE ENERGY
GO OUT AND EXPLORE ALL OF THE WIDE OPEN SPACES IN YOUR WORLD
CIAO
ILISE
TAKE A LISTEN TO MY PODCAST and EVOLVE WITH ME
