Luxury of a Healthy Mind

BY KATIE MCCULLOUGH

Luxury is about treating yourself to the best of the best. It is about knowing your worth and allowing yourself to indulge in what serves you, or simply brings you joy. A healthy mind, while a human right, feels like a luxury. Our mind is the most important piece of our existence as humans, for without a healthy functioning mind, we lose our connection to life around us. Physical ailments may be noticeable to others, so we feel more comfortable or justified getting help for ourselves or simply making time to rest and replenish. It is up to you to make the health of your mind a nonnegotiable priority.

After setting this intention for yourself, you are on the road to luxury of the mind. So, how can we indulge in our mental health? Well, the word Luxury probably conjures up images of expensive indulgence like a destination vacation, shiny new things, or even a Kardashian-level lifestyle. This certainly does not have to be the case. A healthy mind needs time off from extraneous activities, just like your body. Make time to simply be. To simply meditate and replenish. Meditation does not have to be guided or complicated. Sit down, close your eyes, focus your thoughts on something positive and breathe.

Neglecting to give yourself this time may result in high stress and a foggy mind, thus impacting your day-to-day functionality. From forgetting my girlfriends’ birthday to not being emotionally present with friends who needed to confide in me, simple meditation has helped remedy occasions like these to keep my mind clear and calm. Not only that, but according to the Mayo Clinic, meditation has lasting impacts on your emotional AND physical well-being. This stuff works, people!

Additionally, your mind needs exercise and nourishment. As an educator, my work primarily focuses on expanding and exercising the mind with critical thinking. The single most effective strategy for accomplishing this is to read! It is too easy to neglect setting aside time for pleasure reading, but as I tell my students, you need to invest in yourself. Nourish your mind with stories that bring you joy, with stories that resonate with you. Whether it’s a classic tale, a trashy romance, or a magazine (Look at you go! Off to a great start!), just read something that brings you joy. Speaking of joy...indulge in a movie you love, take a nap, draw a bath, dance to your favorite song, have your partner take the kids out of the house for a while, pet a dog, go for a leisurely walk...take a little time off. Your future self will thank you for it.

KATIE MCCULLOUGH graduate of Flagler College, is currently teaching English Language Arts in Saint Augustine, Fla., specializing in gifted and exceptional education. Prior to attending graduate school, Katie plans to pursue her passion for writing while finding time to travel the world.