Getting Motivated

Do you feel stuck? Do you lack the energy to do much of anything? Is living day to day boring and predictable, or too difficult to deal with? These are the tell-tale signs of Depression. How to break through depression can be a breeze if you choose to change.

The first part of any change is the desire to do so. Yes, it will take effort, but the interesting thing is that when you take the effort, more energy is available within you. Interesting how that works out.

At Basic Steps Mental Health, we will address a problem in four ways:

Physically, Mentally, Emotionally, and Spiritually. If we were only to focus on one level, it will put our whole system out of balance. And my apologies to you engineering types, no we cannot think our way out of an emotional wound, we need to feel our way through it.

The body was designed to move. Move it or lose it. Move your body, at least ½ hour a day, was what my doctor recommended. A good 1 ½ hours a day does me good because when I don’t move I get anxious, can’t sleep, and feel depressed. Eat healthier and take supplements. Remember, this is your body, and if you turn your back on it, the body has a way of turning its back on you. You can live in agony if you want, but simple movement can do wonders.  

I was also trained as a massage therapist and it is important to get our Lymphatic system activated. This is the system within the body that flushes out all the internal toxins that build up inside. This system doesn’t have a pump like the heart and works when the body is active. The more movement you do, the more that system is engaged. This is why it is so important to drink plenty of water. Water helps flush the system of toxins and keeps you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. (Did I just write that?)

 

 

Yes, it would be wonderful to lie in bed all day and have people do the things you don’t like to do for you. You can remain a child if you want, and keep your home dirty and unorganized, but it only breeds resentment with your housemates, and of course germs that can get you sick. If you don’t pick up after yourself, who should? Are they your housekeeper? Do yourself a favor and pick up after yourself, and put it away. The extra two minutes does wonders for your mood. Then you can lie down in bed or on the couch and play with your phone and zone out to King of Thrones.

The shower is very important. We believe it washes the negativity off of you. If you’ve been negative or been around negative people, wash it off of you. Don’t bring this into the bed with you, clean it off. Water is great for flushing negative feelings as well. Drink at least half of your body weight in ounces, my doctor recommends.

It seems that this article has become a focus on the physical, which is very important. To remain on the topic, get yourself a pedometer to count your steps. Set your daily goal, easy at first, and see if you can reach the 10,000-step mark that is recommended. When I don’t feel like taking out the trash or going down to the mailbox, where at my complex is a bit of a hike, I remind myself that it will add on more steps and look at it now as something that is healthy for me and not a drag.

Now, let’s address briefly the mental level before this article ends. Henry Ford said, “If you think you can, if you think you cannot, you’re right.” A few years back, when I opened my practice in Mukilteo, I wasn’t doing very well financially. My sister hit it on the head, saying, “As a therapist, you are top notched, as a businessman, not so much.” I called my successful businessman friend and told him I couldn’t continue the company. He said two words, “You can’t?” That was it, I knew I was focusing on giving up and he wanted me to take additional steps. I was so glad that I did. I knew I wasn’t getting the quick results I anticipated so pushed myself forward and now have a good practice. I took the steps, why have you stopped moving forward? These are the keys to look at mentally. Do you focus on what you can’t do and feel hopeless? Sometimes it just takes more information or to pick the brain of someone that has gotten through something similar. Really, you can’t get better? Why? Why do you remain laying down and missing out on the beauty of life? Just keep on moving forward or else you will get left behind.

We will continue on this topic of how to get yourself motivated and look into improving our thoughts and feelings in the next article. You never know what a few additional steps will create.

Compassionate Care is Always Available

There are many more tools and strategies you can use in your pursuit of happiness. Here is where we come in. Contact us at Basic Steps Mental Health and let us support and educate you on this journey back to your loving heart center. Imagine living a heart-centered life, regardless of what is happening externally. We’d love to be of help.

For 25 years, Dr. Scott Alpert, the clinical director of Basic Steps Mental Health, has treated over 7,000 people with mental health and addiction problems, using a Psychological approach that mixes and matches ten of the top approaches used in the industry. We are here virtually and in-person to help you get through this COVID-19 pandemic and many other difficulties you may be experiencing.

May you have good mental health.