How your mind affects your body
– and what you can do about it!
H
ave you ever gotten flushed cheeks when you were embarrassed, felt shaky when you were nervous or experienced a wave of nausea when you felt uneasy? Most of us have experienced all, or at least some of these physical responses to an emotional or mental situation. Your mindset plays a powerful role in the way your body feels and its physical state. When we are young, we gloss over the link between mind and body, but the older we get, the more important it is to recognise and fully appreciate just how important our mental state is in affecting our overall physical wellbeing. Your mind has a profound effect, not only on how we think and feel emotionally, but also on how our body responds physically. The better we understand the direct connection between mind and body, the better we can control it and use the connection to create positive outcomes. The first thing to determine is exactly how your mind and emotions affect your individual body. Everyone responds
differently to life’s experiences. Some people can handle stress well, whilst others can feel easily angered or anxious about the same situation. Get in touch with how your body responds and reacts to various situations. How do you react when someone is angry with you? What happens when you get irritated or frustrated? How does worry affect you, physically? What do you feel when you are running late or stuck in traffic? Do you react well to change? Your body responds in its own unique way to how you think, feel and act. When you are stressed, anxious, nervous or upset, your body reacts accordingly, indicating that things are not as they should be. Some people experience tension headaches or develop high blood pressure, whilst others might experience more extreme physical reactions like stomach ulcers or even a heart attack.
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