Our Ask An Angel correspondent is Arlene Petersen, Certified Senior Advisor and Life Care Navigation Specialist in the area of senior home care.
Q: The current events of our time are making me feel overwhelmed and depressed. How can I fight the down feelings I have?
A: Our world is filled with many challenges and concerns these days. The natural tendency is to worry, and we all know that worrying doesn’t fix anything, and it doesn’t help. As a matter of fact, worry hurts us in many ways. There have been numerous studies that show the ill effects of worry on our health. There have also been studies that report how a positive attitude and outlook provide good health to our lives. So, let’s focus on that. We cannot control many of the circumstances around us, but we can control how we react to them, and that is good news! If we bring positive behaviors into our lives, our focus and attitude will improve. Simple things like exercise, good nutrition, socializing, and participating in things that will improve our overall health will impact our health. It is important to keep good company as well. Many senior centers offer positive programs that promote a healthy lifestyle. And remember, a healthy lifestyle does include your mental attitude.
Some positive things you can do are very simple. Start by keeping good company. Rearrange your schedule so that you can be with family and friends, instead of watching the negative news on television. By the way, if you try to unwind by watching TV, be careful. A few minutes of watching TV can turn into hours. If habit-forming, this could create isolation, which is not healthy! Another great way to adjust your attitude is to read motivational books or listen to motivational speakers. There are many you can obtain from your local library, senior center, or religious organization. These books help you keep your attitude up. Finally, get active. Exercise can divert your fears into good physical energy. Call a friend and exercise together. Take in a movie, or go for a walk together. If the weather is bad, walk indoors at the mall! Make sure you focus on good conversation that will keep you upbeat. We all know that being active keeps us mentally healthy, so go for it. Make some small and simple changes so that the gloomy news that surrounds you doesn’t consume you! Your upbeat attitude will help you and may actually help someone else who struggles with the same emotions you do.
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