MSS #091: Feed or Starve Your Mind: Simple Choices for a Healthier Mental Diet

MSS #091: Feed or Starve Your Mind: Simple Choices for a Healthier Mental Diet

5 Oct, 2024

🕒Read time: 3.5 minutes

🚀In a hurry? Cut straight to the heading “Mind Nourishment vs. Depletion: Practical Tips” - reduced read time 1.4 minutes

Our minds are naturally wired to notice negatives more quickly and easily. This is because, from an evolutionary standpoint, being alert to danger helped us survive.

While this trait is useful for keeping us safe, it also means that pleasant, positive thoughts often receive less of our attention—they don't trigger the same survival response.

As a result, we must put more energy into noticing and appreciating the positive aspects of life to maintain a balanced, healthy mindset.

Where we place our attention is crucial because our minds tend to notice more of whatever we focus on.

If we constantly dwell on negative news or stressful situations, our minds will naturally become more attuned to these (there is science behind this - shared in previous newsletters).

Conversely, if we direct our attention towards positive and uplifting experiences, our minds will start to notice more of these positive elements around us.

This week let’s explore the simple, everyday choices that either nourish or deplete our minds, and how making conscious decisions can lead to a more fulfilling and balanced life.

Nourishing Your Mind: The Power of Positive Attention

Just like a camera focuses on what is in its lens, our minds will start to notice more of what we pay attention to.

So, what we feed our brain matters, better to nourish it in a way that reduces stress, fear, anxiety and worry and promotes positive ways of resolving challenges.

It’s a choice – but one we must actively take.

Here are some simple yet powerful ways to direct your attention to nourish your mind daily:

• Watch Fun Videos: Laughter is a great stress reliever. Take a break to watch a funny clip or a light-hearted show that brings a smile to your face.

• Look at Family Pictures: Surround yourself with images that evoke happy memories. A glance at a family photo can remind you of the love and support in your life, boosting your mood instantly.

• Thank Someone: Expressing gratitude can significantly uplift your spirits. Whether it's a quick text, a heartfelt email, or a handwritten note, acknowledging someone’s kindness nourishes both your mind and theirs.

• Engage in a Hobby: Whether it's painting, gardening, or playing an instrument, indulging in a hobby that you love can be a refreshing break for your mind.

• Read Uplifting Content: Books, articles, or even quotes that inspire you can be a powerful tool in feeding your mind with positivity.

• Remember happy moments: Have a plan to recall and indulge in happy memories. I have a number of different techniques to do this in a workshop and coaching program I call “happy habits”.

Choose whatever you like to nourish your mind but choose to do it and have a plan of how and what you will nourish with. As you keep doing it, the reticular activating system part of your brain, will start noticing more of the same.

Depleting Your Mind: The Silent Harm of Misplaced Attention

While it’s essential to focus on nourishing experiences, it’s equally important to be aware of what can deplete your mental energy. Here’s how you might be inadvertently draining your mind:

• Mindless Social Media Scrolling: Hours spent scrolling through negative news or comparing yourself to others can drain your mental energy and leave you feeling inadequate.

• Dwelling on Negative Thoughts: Allowing yourself to ruminate on past mistakes or worries about the future can lead to mental exhaustion and anxiety.

• Overconsumption of Junk Content: Like consuming too much empty content, it weighs your mind down without providing any meaningful benefit.

• Isolating Yourself: Not engaging with others or neglecting social connections can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression.

• Ignoring Self-care: Failing to take time for yourself, whether through exercise, meditation, or simply relaxing, can leave you mentally fatigued.

• Surrounding yourself with negative people: A Harvard study found we need to have contact with 5 positive people, to balance the impact of one negative person! So it matters who you surround yourself with.

It’s a simple case of being aware and either stopping, avoiding and doing less of, you have to decide what makes best sense in each case.

Mind Nourishment vs. Depletion: Practical Tips

How to Feed Your Mind:

• Set aside time each day to do something that makes you genuinely happy.

• Rather than set aside a time, set a trigger.

  Something you are guaranteed to do every day, like brush your teeth.

  Or, use a location as a trigger, a specific object you use or pass each day that is your queue to indulge in nourishing thoughts. [always make sure you are in a safe place to do this and not taking part in an activity needing full conscious thought].

• Keep a gratitude journal and write down three things you’re thankful for every day.

• Limit your screen time, especially before bed, to avoid unnecessary stress or anxiety.

• Make it a point to connect with loved ones, even if it’s just a quick call or message.

How to Avoid Depletion:

• Be mindful of the content you consume; choose quality over quantity.

• Practice positive self-talk and challenge negative thoughts when they arise.

• Take regular breaks throughout your day to refresh and reset.

• Ensure you're getting enough sleep, as rest is crucial for mental well-being.

Summary

Our brains are naturally inclined to focus on negatives, but with conscious effort, we can train ourselves to notice and appreciate the positives more.

Start noticing, if what you are doing is either,

Nourishing or Depleting

Now start nudging the balance to more nourishing and less depleting thoughts, activities or situations.

By deliberately choosing what we focus our attention on—whether it’s a fun video or avoiding negative content—we can cultivate a healthier, more resilient mindset.

If nothing else just be aware each time you do something and ask yourself.

“Is that nourishing or depleting?”

Then gradually over time change the balance to more nourishing thoughts and activities.

Key Takeaways:

• Nourish your mind by directing your attention to positive inputs like fun videos, gratitude, and hobbies.

• Avoid depletion by steering clear of mindless scrolling, negative thoughts, and isolation.

• Make conscious choices daily to support your mental well-being.

See you next week. One more thought 👇

Want more? 

When you're ready, 3 more ways I can help you:

1. My book - Nuclear Powered Resilience

2. Self confidence and resilience - £48 training course based on my book

3. Coaching packages - start with a FREE 15 minutes exploration session.

Other resources

If you haven't already, follow me on LinkedIn and hit the bell for daily posts on tips, insights and techniques or take a look at my website.

Want to explore what else I do? Including corporate speaking, coaching and workshops, or simply ask me a question or give me feedback on my newsletter - say hello in an email.

That's it for this week. Thanks for reading, really hope this helped. Contact me if you think I can help you further at [email protected].

Happy thinking.