Hello and welcome to the Harmonious Mind.
A moment to slow down and settle your nervous system.
I'm Tanya McIntyre,
Your mindfulness mentor.
These short reflections are designed to help you find steadiness,
Perspective,
And a gentler rhythm in your day.
Let this meet you the way music does.
Openly,
Curiously,
Without pressure.
There's nothing to achieve.
Nowhere else you need to be.
Just be here in the present moment.
Today we'll explore 12 steps for better mental health.
I'm grateful to say I'm finally recovered from alcohol and other drug addictions.
I'm celebrating many years of continuous freedom and I'm thankful I lived long enough to finally be ready.
I had setbacks almost every year while attending 12-step programs.
My setbacks weren't the fault of those programs though.
I simply wasn't ready.
I thought I was ready.
I said I was ready every day.
I'd wake up and say,
This is the day I'll finally be free from addictions.
And then by 6 p.
M.
I was meeting my dealer in the liquor store parking lot.
Now that I'm finally free from addictions and free from pharmaceuticals to treat my mental health illnesses,
I use 12 steps that continue to work for me to remain free.
Number one,
Unclutter life.
If you haven't worn something or used something in the past year,
Get rid of it.
Number two,
Remove stress.
In the words of the ancient philosopher Socrates,
He is nearest to God who needs the fewest things.
The less you need to ensure,
Protect,
Dust,
Reorganize,
And move,
The better.
Number three,
Prioritize your self-care.
I like to use the airplane analogy to help people grasp this concept because it's difficult for us humans to even think about putting ourselves first.
We're socially and culturally conditioned to provide and perform to help others,
Especially family.
So having to think of ourselves as a priority can be a foreign concept to most people.
So when we board that airplane and the safety demonstration is given to us,
It's explained very clearly that in this metal tube,
If the cabin pressure changes,
An oxygen mask will fall from the ceiling in front of you.
And you need to put the mask on yourself first.
Even if you have a small child sitting beside you,
You need to save yourself first.
You can't save anyone until you've saved yourself first.
Number four,
Take time for movement.
Give yourself 15 or 20 minutes a day to sit or walk quietly.
Make conscious contact with yourself.
There's a lot to be said for forest therapy.
I like to take a mindfulness walk on a trail at least once a month.
A slow and silent walk to feel the power of the trees surrounding me.
And that's a good segue to number five,
For us to be in nature.
There's nothing more awe-inspiring than nature itself.
It's therapeutic to walk among the trees,
To have that forest therapy,
To be bathed in that healing power.
Number six,
Remove the critics from your life.
Give those who find fault a silent blessing,
And then remove yourself from their energy field.
Your life is simplified enormously when you receive support rather than criticism.
Number seven,
Invest in your health.
Your body is a sacred temple where you reside for your lifetime.
Take time every single day for exercise and proper nourishment.
And remember to drink lots of water.
Number eight,
Watch your language.
The words we speak are very powerful.
Our words feed our thoughts,
And our thoughts feed our moods,
Our feelings,
And our behaviors.
Try to remember to talk to and treat yourself like you would talk to and treat a good friend,
With kindness,
Empathy,
And compassion.
Number nine,
Play,
Play,
Play.
You'll simplify your life and feel inspired if you learn to play rather than work your way through life.
Nobody gets to their deathbed saying that they wish they had spent more time at work.
Get back in touch with your playful self and take every opportunity to play.
Number ten,
Slow down.
There is more to life than increasing its speed.
We are not meant to live our life on fast forward.
Slow your breathing down so that you're aware of each inhalation and exhalation.
Slow down your speech.
Slow down your inner thoughts.
Slow down the frantic pace of everything you're doing.
Take time to hear others.
Notice your inclination to interrupt and get the conversation over with.
Stop to enjoy the stars and the cloud formations in the sky.
Lie down under a tree and watch the leaves move in the wind.
Number eleven,
Avoid anxiety.
Our peace and joy can be hijacked by anxiety.
Whenever you feel anxious,
Remember to ask yourself,
What is within my control right now?
What can I do from where I am with what I have today?
And finally,
Number twelve,
I think it should actually be number one because it's very,
Very important.
Avoid debt.
If you can't afford to pay for it in cash,
You likely can't afford it.
Let it go.
Learn to live without it.
By going into debt,
You'll just add layers of anxiety and stress to your life.
I like to call credit card debt legalized theft.
Just a thousand dollar credit limit to its max.
If you're paying the minimum payment every month,
The debt never expires.
It's legalized theft.
Try not to feed it.
Avoid debt.
Thank you so much for spending this time with me.
I hope these reflections bring you a little more clarity,
Comfort,
And calm.
Join me for future episodes of The Harmonious Mind as we continue to explore practical ways to build better mental health.
Until then,
May your coffee,
Your heart,
And your patience be strong.
My name is Tanya McIntyre,
Your mindfulness mentor.
May the force of mindfulness be with you always.
And remember,
You are the force.
