Day 8: What Are You Feeding Your Mind?
Mental Health Pillar: Mindfulness
by Elyse Brogdon, Citizen Yoga Teacher and Director of People and Processes
I (and, I don’t want to speak for anyone else, but, we) live in a world with far too much input. As someone whose default setting is to absorb my surroundings, care deeply, and give generously, I have to actively manage what and how much I consume mentally (particularly in my personal time) in order to maintain tolerance and compassion for all of the input I don’t necessarily get to choose.
Just like the old saying, “you are what you eat,” our reality is a direct reflection of what we feed our minds. This includes what we read, watch, and listen to as well as who we interact with and what spaces we spend time in. Our minds are sneaky, with the constant aim to pursue pleasure and avoid pain, and we have to rely on and build a strong intellect to make choices that are actually good for us. And just like we consider the nutrients of the foods we eat to stay healthy and free of disease, we can also assess the qualities of our mental input to support our mental health.
Our brains are wired to take the path always traveled, so it can be tricky to change our “mental diet.” We might face confronting truths or feel temporary increases in mental pressure as a result of less habitual consumption. On the other hand, we can become better informed, less anxious, and more present in the world around us. Trust that small changes can make a big difference!
Today:
Write down everything that your mind consumes (what you read, watch, listen to), including things you didn’t consciously choose (marketing ads, surprise emails or news alerts, etc).
Journal for 10 minutes on how this affected your mood, thought patterns, and the choices you made today.
Highlight one thing on the list that you want to keep consuming as a way to support your mental health, and one realistic thing you’d like to eliminate, even temporarily.
