Learn to switch off

As children we were taught to brush our teeth every morning and night. It was programmed so well into us, that we do it almost automatically for the rest of our lives. We know a good diet is important and we try to eat well. We know exercise is good for us and we try our best to stay fit. All of the above is well documented, and there are industries build around to assist us. But what about our mind? Why are we not taught from the young age to take care of it?

I read somewhere recently how school children are diagnosed having stress. “Sure they need to learn to deal with it” I hear some of you say. But do we give them the tools to deal with it?

In the process of doing a lot of creative work almost daily, I’ve become to realise how fantastically complex our brain is. Our mind adapts to situations, if provided with the right tools, it can consume a lot of new information, solve complex problems and create. I’ve challenged my self and I’ve seen my mind deliver a lot more than I ever thought was possible in the past.

But I also realised the importance of giving your mind a break. The human mind is extremely strong, but like any other part of our body, you need to let it rejuvenate. If you work hard, you need to let the mind rest. So how do we do this?

Well for starters, the obvious one is sleep. Without proper sleep your brain will only function for so long, before your whole body goes into a shutdown. And that is a bad thing to happen, really bad thing! Also your brain needs fuel. Proper nutrition is vital for your brain. I will be writing a more detailed blog post about nutrition in January. But we all should learn how to switch off. There are some temporary releases, for example alcohol, but they are never a long-term solution. I personally have found meditation to be a great tool for this, but I know it is not for everyone. I think you still need to find your own way to “switch off,” but I do believe we should be taught some techniques already in school, make it a daily habit from a young age.

J.P.

The author J.P. Kallio is a singer songwriter
To get EIGHT of his songs for free go HERE