A Healthy Body Is the Lever to a Clear Mind
The goal should always be to have a clear mind.
One of the best levers for this and also the easiest to start with is our body!
A Whole Body Yes
Understanding the connection of your body to the mind is a major key. They are strongly correlated. That’s why we have a certain gut feeling when it comes to decisions. In a recent YouTube Video, Tim Ferriss introduced a concept called a “whole body yes”:
When it comes to making a decision, he scans his head, but also his chest and his gut. He tries to look for a go signal in all areas of his body.
In many cases, when something sounds too good to be true, we have a weird feeling in our stomachs. In these cases, the decision is a clear no.
This is exactly the connection I am trying to show you with this article. The goal should be to look for a “whole body yes” in everything we do. Looking for the signals the body sends you, and acting according to them, improves your health and your happiness.
Now I will describe another great benefit and a practical approach of this concept:
Meditation, and similar forms of mind-centered awareness, have a strong entry barrier. It is hard to start when we are so used to the 24/7 noise of the world. It is also not really rewarding at the beginning. This has led to me not really following through with my intentions. It was hard to be consistent.
If you are not an experienced practitioner, and you are just getting started, another problem arises:
How can I practice “mindfulness” when my mind is messy and tainted?
A cluttered mind, full of bad thoughts, is most likely the starting point for everyone that is interested in this topic.
Welcome to the “Healthy Body, Sound Mind” concept
The goal should always be to have a clear mind.
One of the best levers for this and also the easiest to start with is our body!
It has been proven that a little movement and fresh air can drastically improve your mental state.
“Even though exercise itself might act as a stressor, it has been demonstrated that it reduces the harmful effects of other stressors when performed at moderate intensities”
- Paper on Excersise and Mental Health
The improved oxygen flow through your body and the output of feel-good hormones like serotonin have an instant effect on your mood.
You become more energized throughout the day, and you automatically start having positive thoughts.
Another great benefit for me is that while working out you have these moments of absolute silence from your mind.
Movement and exercise can do something for you which you can’t get anywhere else, and it reduces the psychological barrier between having an idea and actually doing it!
So recognizing that you are in a bad state of mind and starting to act on it by doing something healthy for your body could be one of the most important skills in life.
And if you get better at this, I guarantee you that meditation won’t be as hard anymore.
Don't make the start the hardest part
Stop thinking about your mind and do something that you know is good for your body.
To be consistent, you have to be honest with yourself, and you have to start small.
The pictures above show some things you can do if you want to start out slowly. Dance a little, try to get 8 hours of sleep every night, or drink some tea and relax without your phone or laptop.
But after a while, it is important to start to do workouts, running or other sports. Although hard at first, these are what really clear up your mind, and they make your body healthier as well.
I keep track of these little health and mood boosters in a note app. Don’t spend too much time on this, as it is just for your awareness and also a little for bragging to your friends. This is what it looks like for me:
-18.4, small run, yoga,
-19.4, daily stretch yoga,
-20.4, short walk, breath work
- 21.4, workout, short cold shower
- 22.4, BJJ, sleep tea with honey
- 23.4, beach volleyball
It’s the thought of: “Now I want to do something that helps me feel good.” Find some things that work for you and start doing at least one of them daily.
Try it out, and I hope you’ll see the effects it has on your mood and well-being.
This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please seek the advice of a mental health professional or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have, they can help you get better.
