At work, you may have been taught to always say “yes” to your boss — even when your inner self wants to say “no.”⁠ ⁠

In relationships, you may have been taught to always say “yes” to your partner — even when your inner self wants to say “no.”⁠ ⁠ We all need social connection.

And if we’re only rewarded by others for saying “yes” and disapproved of for saying “no,” we may become habituated to ignoring our inner voice.⁠

The body doesn’t like that. The body may feel betrayed when you ignore your inner voice. The body may do things to defend your inner voice:⁠ ⁠

🔸 Like getting a migraine so you don’t have to attend that event you said “yes” to but really wanted to say “no” to.⁠

🔸Or getting back pain so that you don’t have to sit at that desk job you took because you thought you “should” even though you really wanted to follow your passion.⁠

🔸Or getting a stomach ache so that you don’t have to spend time with that person who disrespects your boundaries.⁠ ⁠

If we are conditioned to always say “yes,” we may find ourselves in conflict with our body when it says “no.”⁠ ⁠

🌸 BUT just like with couples therapy, conflict resolution is possible between mind and body. ✨⁠ ⁠

The first step to conflict resolution is: Each party needs to have their side of the story heard and acknowledged.⁠

👉 Here’s something you can try:⁠

Ask your mind, with pen and paper 📝:

Dear part that always says “yes,” what are you feeling? What would you like me to know? What are you trying to protect me from?⁠ ⁠

And see what flows out onto the page 📄.⁠ ⁠

Then, ask your body 📝:⁠

Dear part that says “no,” what are you feeling? What would you like me to know? What are you trying to protect me from?⁠

You may find that the mind and body have similar goals — just different ideas about how to get there.⁠

If you need support with chronic pain and anxiety, take my FREE QUIZ called “Why the *bleep* am I still in pain?!” so I can help you get some clarity.

The post If You Don’t Set Boundaries, a Symptom Flare-Up Might Step In and Do It For You appeared first on Medika Life.

The challenges that our world faces are grim, immense, and numerous. From climate change threatening to irrevocably alter the habitability of our planet to the resurgence of fascism across the globe, from a still-churning global pandemic with new viral variants appearing regularly to overt racial injustice rearing its ugly head, there is no shortage of worldly problems that could drive even the most optimistic person to despair temporarily. But for those who are already struggling to keep their heads above the proverbial water, the burden can become too much to bear.

When even day-to-day life seems insurmountable, how can someone struggling to cope with the negativity in the world find the strength to carry on? How do you safeguard your mental health and well-being in a world that constantly threatens to chip away at it?

Strategically Disengage

For all its potential to bring us together, social media can also be a driver of negativity at a volume that few other mediums can match. Suppose you spend enough time on Twitter or Facebook. In that case, the respective algorithm of whatever platform you’re on will, at some point, inevitably surface something that might drive you deeper or heighten your anxiety. Similarly, staying glued to the news will overwhelmingly remind you only of what’s wrong in the world and can often create a feeling of helplessness in the face of its enormity. If you cannot tear yourself away, doom scrolling instead of sleeping, delete the apps. Silence the alerts. Turn off the television or computer. Focus on what’s right in front of you – your health, your family, and your friends.

Fight Small Battles, Achieve Small Victories

When it seems like you as an individual are incapable of changing the trajectory of society at large, it might be time to think smaller—volunteer for a cause you deem worthy. Become a mentor. Start or join a club centered around a favorite hobby. Do something small with a high chance of success that will increase your self-esteem and make you feel accomplished. Exercise control where you can and make a positive change that’s tangible and meaningful to you. Making a difference for others, your community, or yourself can narrow your focus and give you the perspective you need: you can make a difference, you can do good, and the world is better off for having you in it.

Share the Burden

Commiseration can be the best therapy. Finding like-minded individuals with whom you can openly and honestly converse can reduce feelings of isolation and helplessness. You’ve undoubtedly heard the old axiom they tell you in school, “Don’t be afraid to ask a question. If you want to ask it, odds are someone else does too.” The same is true when the world seems overwhelming. Though it may feel like it, you’re not the only one struggling. Despair comes for us all from time to time, and when it hits, conversing with someone with equal concerns, even if neither of you have solutions, can make a difference in your mental state. At a minimum, you’ll know you’re not alone.

Ultimately it comes down to control: what you can and can’t do. Focusing on what you can’t control, like the political machinations of megalomaniacs or the destructive potential of fossil fuel companies, can legitimately rock the stability of any conscientious person. Conversely, focusing on what you can control within your sphere of influence, however narrow or seemingly insignificant, can help you achieve the victories you need to keep going.

Find a reason to wake up and get out of bed tomorrow. The world can’t always provide that reason for you. Sometimes you need to create it yourself.

The post Carrying On in a World That Can Seem Beyond Repair appeared first on Medika Life.

Physical fitness is one’s ability to execute daily activities with optimal performance, endurance, and strength to manage the disease, fatigue, and stress and reduce sedentary behavior.

I need to have my pianos serviced (including tuning) to play optimally. Think of your body in this way. If we want to look and feel our best, you and I need to optimize our physical fitness.

Good heart, lung, and muscle performance is essential. What we do with our physical being, in turn, influences our minds.

My four fitness pillars

Just as I have my four pillars of health (movement; nutrition; rest; mindfulness), recognizing my tendency to categorize things, I also have four pillars of physical fitness:

• Aerobic fitness
• Muscle fitness
• Flexibility
• Stability and balance

Fitness pillars: Aerobic and strength training

Let’s look briefly at each of these elements. We begin with the aerobic fitness pillar. I try to make sure that I get a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes of exercise. Do you need to run a marathon or do high-intensity interval training to meet the objective? No, even a brisk walk will do.

My patients often forget the importance of strength or resistance training. We need to do it to improve our muscle fitness. By doing so, we increase our lean muscle mass (which helps regulate our weight). I aim to get in two or three thirty-minute weight training sessions or work with resistance bands each week.

Fitness pillar: Flexibility

Next up is an oft-forgotten pillar of being physically fit: Flexibility. So many of us (myself included) work to move our joints and muscles to their full range of motion. Be more flexible, and you will likely have better coordination and may reduce your risk of injury secondary to physical activity.

Here’s what you may want to try: Stretch when you work out or at least three times weekly. Try to do it after you are warmed up, say with a 20 to 30-minute brisk walk.

Fitness pillar: Stability and balance

Finally, we have stability and balance. Get better, and you will likely see improvements in your core muscle strength. By making the muscles in your abdomen, lower back, pelvis, and hips stronger, you may lessen low back pain, improve your posture, and reduce your probability of suffering from a traumatic fall.

MIT Medical gives us some tools to achieve these goals. First, choose appropriate activities for each pillar, one that you enjoy. If the exercise does not give you pleasure, you are not likely to continue.

Second, establish habits; try not to miss a training day for at least a month or so. Finally, increase the load (frequency, intensity, or duration of activity) over time.

Do you regularly stretch? Do you do balance work? It is easy to forget these essential elements of physical fitness. Thank you for joining me today.

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