Hello my fellow fallible human.
Welcome to the harmonious mind.
A space to slow down and gently reset your nervous system.
I'm Tanya McIntyre,
Your mindfulness mentor,
Located in the beautiful lakeside town of Goderich,
Ontario,
Canada.
These short reflections are crafted to help you build a kinder relationship with your mind.
Let this reach you the way music does,
Without effort,
Without judgment,
Simply allowing yourself to be here.
Today we'll explore seven daily habits for better mental health.
When I express the importance of self-care,
I like to use the airplane analogy.
If the cabin pressure changes in the airplane,
The oxygen mask falls in front of us and the instructions are clear.
Put the mask on yourself first before helping anyone else.
That can be a difficult concept to grasp because we are socially conditioned to help others.
It can be especially difficult for parents to practice self-care because they're programmed to believe that their whole purpose in life is to provide and perform for their family.
Caring for others can be one of the highest expressions of love and purpose,
But it's also very important to not let that virtue take priority over your self-care.
Here are seven daily habits that can help you develop and maintain self-care.
Number one.
Start each day with the expectation that everything will go your way.
Have you ever noticed that life usually lives up or down to your expectations?
Ancient philosophy tells us it is as you say it is.
So why not have your first thought of the day be something like things are going to go well for me today.
You know what?
Things often will be what you say they will be.
Try it.
Number two.
Assume people have good intentions.
Sometimes people do things that annoy us not necessarily to annoy us.
Just the other day I found myself blocking the aisle in the grocery store.
It wasn't intentional,
But I got lost in thought while trying to choose a brand of tuna.
I was oblivious to my cart blocking the aisle.
When I recognized it,
I said oops sorry.
Number three.
Do your best with what's within your control and then let go of the results.
The most common source of stress is the perception that you've got too much to do.
So rather than obsess and worry about it,
Pick one thing that will move you closer to your highest goal.
Do that first and remember to ask for help.
Number four.
Give a gift to someone you meet.
And your gift doesn't have to be a wrapped present.
It can be your smile or a word of encouragement,
A gesture of politeness,
Or even just a friendly nod.
Number five.
Eat your food slowly.
Sometimes we can't avoid eating some things quickly,
But at least once a day make the effort to eat something slowly and mindfully.
Focus on it.
Taste it.
Savor it.
Tell yourself my food is nourishing my body in perfect harmony.
Number six.
Take a digital diet.
Marketing messages can make you dissatisfied with your life.
Be the gatekeeper of your mind and stop allowing yourself to be programmed to consume.
Number seven.
End each day with gratitude.
Tibetans have a custom of turning over their cup before going to sleep.
It signifies not just the end of their day,
But also the end of their life.
And then in the morning they think I'm grateful to be alive as they turn up their cup to signify the beginning of their new life.
Thank you so much for being here with me.
I hope these insights offer you some serenity.
Join me again for future episodes of The Harmonious Mind as we continue to explore practical ways to build better mental health.
Until then,
May your coffee,
Your heart,
And your patience be strong.
My name is Tanya McIntyre,
Your mindfulness mentor.
May the force of mindfulness be with you always.
And remember,
You are the force.
