 |
Keeping it Together | WISDOM AND TIPS FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT US | Tuesday, July 27 | | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| Sometimes finding the silver linings can be tough. |
| When bad news gets stacked on top of worse news, it can feel impossible to stay positive. |
| That's how I've been feeling recently. And to make matters worse, I'm worried about the rising numbers of vaccinated people getting COVID-19. |
| I'm fully vaccinated and am following safety guidelines, but it's still anxiety-inducing. |
| So I'm trying to remind myself is that I can only do what is in my control. |
| Instead of jumping to the worst scenario in my head, I try to take things one step at a time – both in my thought processes so I don't spiral as well as my actions. |
| If I'm presented with a challenge, rather than spending all my energy on worrying, I try to do what I can in that moment to make me feel better. That could be making a list, trying to find a solution or even cleaning up my space to make me feel less scattered. |
| When things seem bleak, it also helps to remember tomorrow is a new day with new possibilities. It's cliché, but it's true. |
| So if you're struggling with hardships or general overwhelm, you're not alone – and I hope these tips that help me can also help you. |
The 'dark side' of bodybuilding |
| Big biceps, toned abs and cut calves – it's what society deems as the perfectly sculpted body, but is it always healthy? |
| Striving to this ideal, as bodybuilders and weight lifters often do, has the potential to cause serious consequences on a psychological level, experts say. |
| "Research has shown that sports and activities that have an aesthetic component to them, where the way one appears is part of how one is being evaluated or judged, tend to have higher rates of eating disorders," says Dr. Sari Shepphird, a sports psychologist specializing in eating disorders. "Not only higher than in the general population but higher than even in other sports where the rates are already high." |
| While there's nothing inherently wrong with wanting to get in shape, the kind of perfectionism that is required in sports like bodybuilding is one risk factor in developing these issues, Shepphird says. |
| "It's a sport that … a lot of people find … exciting and engaging and motivating, but you just need to make sure, overall, that it's not beginning to affect your quality of life (or) your mental health," she says. |
| Click here to read more, including signs to look out for. |
 | | The perfectionistic nature of bodybuilding can be a risk factor for disordered eating and body image issues, experts say. | | Nikolas_jkd, Getty Images/iStockphoto | |
Today's reads |
| |
 | | Popeyes | | Popeyes | |
Today's pet |
| Meet Sophie. |
 | | Sleepy Sophie | | Courtesy of Linda Peterson | |
| Linda Peterson shared that she adopted this baby four months ago. |
| "She is everything good that a senior dog owner could imagine... completely house-trained and totally loving! Best thing I've ever done was to adopt!" Linda added. |
| Thanks for reading! Remember you can send pet photos, coping tips and anything else to our email. |
| Wishing you all the best, |
| Sara Moniuszko |
| |
| |
| |
| |
