When we think about staying healthy, it typically means eating right and exercising regularly. But all too often, we overlook one of the most critical aspects of overall health: our emotional state of mind. Just as we need to watch out for eating foods high in sugar or fat, it’s just as important to protect ourselves from toxic situations that can take a toll on our mental health over the long run.
Holistic health places equal value on the physical, mental and spiritual elements of our daily lives. With meditation and yoga growing increasingly popular (and for good reason), there are any number of ways to balance the stresses of life with therapies that can center and energize the mind. And while these modalities are very useful and can be done mostly anywhere, the question that deserves further exploration is, what are some preventive measures that can help avoid anxiety and improve our ability to deal with challenges, especially financial ones?
Our Brains are ATMs
The analogy I most like to use when discussing how our brains allow us to cope is that of an ATM. Like the machines, our brains are often expected to process incoming information and dispense “currency,” or rational thought. Most of the time, our brains respond as expected and the financial challenges of our day to day affairs are managed in a manner that leaves us functional and able to face the next day effectively.
However, like any ATM, our brains are limited in their supply of rational thought. Physiologically, we can think of this as our breaking point or threshold. Once a person reaches his or her limit, irrational behavior and anxiety quickly take over the circuit and suddenly far more is being dispensed to the world around us than rational thought alone. At times, coping mechanisms such as deep breathing or the comfort of loved ones can help us to re-establish our senses, but all too often, these anxious situations can lead to a downward spiral that leaves us feeling exhausted and even hopeless.
Coping Strategies
At some point or even multiple points in our lives, it’s natural to face financial difficulty for months and possibly years at a time. As part of this normal occurrence, it’s crucially important to take steps to maintain one’s emotional health so that the long-term impact on overall health can be limited. For example, numerous published research studies have linked stress caused by financial circumstances to depression, high blood pressure and heart disease. By finding ways to manage our financial stress, we can avoid the unwanted physical consequences and potentially preserve a more beneficial state of mind in the process.
Strategies to deal with financial difficulty start with three main goals:
1. Prevent mental overload from taking over our reactions.
2. Replace anxiety with the facts of the situation.
3. Establish that it’s all relative and could actually be worse than it is right now.
In working to achieve these goals, the most natural starting point is to get a handle on the situation by organizing all available information. Too often, our anxiety is rooted in our brains not having access to the facts of the situation. By committing to an awareness of the details, we can be better informed and more prepared to assess next steps.
Once the facts are known, it’s time to make a plan and determine options. Sometimes, this can be done on our own and other times it will require the help of a family member or friend. Rarely do our loved ones reinforce that “it’s all hopeless, time to give up and do nothing.” Most often, two brains are better than one and having someone available to think through the challenge — whether that’s being short on a rent or mortgage payment, or some other financial issue — can be immensely useful in safeguarding against the infrequent mental pathway toward mental overload.
After organizing the information and seeking a partner to help process it, the right next step is to brainstorm how the situation could be worse so you can put into perspective the challenge you’re facing. I can tell you from experience and multiple moments of financial anxiety over the last couple decades that there is always a scenario even worse than the current state. Just knowing that reality can help our minds to see through the clouds and realize that while things might be bad, it’s all relative and all hope is not, in fact, lost.
Financial Strength Starts With a Peaceful Mind
Whether you resort to yoga and meditation or try some of the strategies above, it’s important to remember that most of us will face some type of financial challenge over the course of our lifetimes. Being prepared with how to deal with it is important so that your holistic health can be safeguarded and the stress doesn’t have deleterious health effects later in life. Additionally, whereas financial challenges may come and go, it helps to keep our minds balanced and our “rational thought reserves” replenished so that when things do get tough, you can more easily deal with that stress and get through the difficult period. Dealing with financial stress truly is more of a marathon than a sprint — and training starts now.
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How to Protect Your Health From Financial Stress originally appeared on usnews.com
