SIMPLE

S – Stop over thinking, feeling good is truly a state of mind.  Many for numerous reasons do not allow themselves to feel good, many do not know how to let themselves feel good, and many want to feel good but they just truly do not.  Feeling good is a matter of mind set, being able to feel good is a matter of mindset and positive thinking.  Physically moving, for example, walking, makes your oxygen levels better, makes your blood flow, and makes your feel good endorphins flow freely through your body.  Get out and walk…you do not need to power walk, or get fancy walking equipment, you just need to take the first step in physical movement and the rest will fall into place.

I – Indulge in yourself, you can be whoever you make yourself!  Being in shape is a matter of indulging within you!  Put yourself in the category of Indulgence- you are the only you there is, so embrace yourself and take yourself to new limits.

M – Move, don’t just sit there, get moving, the more you physically move the more you want to and the more your Metabolism wakes up, you are burning 30 calories per minute walking 3mph, incentive enough to feel okay about having that slice of cake

P – Pace yourself, don’t set yourself up for failure.  You are the best representative of YOU!  You know your limits, strengths, weaknesses and when you are lying to yourself by making excuses to de-motivate your inner self.  Set small goals to build positive identity.  Here is a thought, when you go food shopping, go through the entire store, up and down each isle, not picking up anything, then go back through with your list up and down each isle picking up the things you need.  You just exercised!

L – Leverage: the power or ability to act or to influence decisions.  Use this to make decisions about what you want for yourself and give yourself an incentive.  If I walk around the park three times I am feeling better about going out to eat.  If I do not walk, I am not feeling the positive influence I have created within my own standards of choice in bettering my lifestyle.

E – Emotions, ALL of them: Happiness, Sadness, Anger, etc. are all relevant and make up the many pieces of you!  Use your emotions to guide you in a positive direction and not a negative one.  I am feeling ANGRY…. I am tense, mean, and taken over by this anger, get your earpods out, and walk it through, just walk, don’t think, listen to the music and keep walking, you will inadvertently burn off the tension in the movement and again releasing endorphins through your body you will calm, the motion of your body will change, you may start out rapid in your walk, cause you are so mad, that’s okay, you are responding to the feeling by adjusting your reaction and letting the physical-ness of the anger wear down through  movement.

Motivated….Try it out!

By: Colleen Dougherty

UPENN Alumni Ambassador

Website: https://www.mentalhealthpartnerships.org/

Email address cdougherty@mhasp.org