Skip to main content

You are NOT bored... You're UNINSPIRED


Recently I have been feeling a bit down due to just going though the motions of my daily life. Yes, even therapists get down sometimes too! I wake up go to work and help my clients. After a 9 hour day, I head into 5 pm traffic to go to the gym. Hit my usual workout and go home to eat, shower, go to bed. Just to do it all the next day. I am the kind of person who likes to set goals for myself so I don't get this stagnant feeling! I hate the feeling! Since I just crushed my goal of passing my states license exam. I am craving something new.  How to do I stay inspired while doing the same ole thing everyday?

Then I remembered Viktor Frankl's logotherapy! Frankl was a neurologist, psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor. He is the famous author of Man's Search for Meaning. Frankl believed man searched for the meaning of life under all circumstances even suffering. Frankl thought that life meaning was created in three ways:

1. By experiencing something fully or feeling loved
2. By creating something, finishing tasks or achieving goals
3. Through unavoidable suffering in which you develop a new attitude

So I decided to incorporate some of the things back into my life that make me feel good. This is how I did it!

1. Put the phone down: Research shows that more screen leads to increased levels of depression. That is possibly due to Frankl's first point that you can't experience things fully because you are mentally unavailable and not in the moment. Therapists call this Mindfulness, a practice where you focus on the present moment. Being in the present moment allows you to be at peace and available to your loved ones. I tell my client's all the time, "if you are living in the past you are depressed, if you are living in the future you are anxious." The only moment we can account for is this moment right here, right now.
2. Practice Mindfulness: I made a conscious effort to check in with myself and appreciate the here and now. Looking at the trees, the sky, feeling the breeze.
3. Practice Meditation: another way to be mindful is through meditation. I downloaded a great app called Headspace, that is great for beginner meditators.
4. Practice Gratitude: I made an agreement with myself that everyday of January I would write 5 new things that I am grateful for without repeating. Even if they were small.
5. Remember What's Important: For me it is spending time with loved ones, getting in my daily work outs and volunteering are somethings that I find valuable and important to me and in my life as a member of society.

By doing these 5 things I realized I altered my mindset using Frankl's Three Ways to establish Life meaning. I was more present to my family, friends and my clients. I was creating peace in my life and finishing tasks, even if they were small, that I found important. Lastly, I created a new attitude of gratitude. Life is not always perfect but you have to work on self growth and doing what inspires you! So I encourage you to check in with yourself and see how you can create meaning in your life.

To the journey,
Fit Therapist

Check out more on my website at Fit Therapy Counseling

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Train Your Brain

With obesity on the rise in the United States, more Americans are becoming aware of their unhealthy behaviors and incorporating more healthy alternatives through diet and exercise. However, when considering overall health it is important to mention your brain. As we age, our memory and concentration fade, especially after we finish our schooling. It is important to keep your mind sharp to prevent from decline and have an overall healthier you for years to come. Even in my young age, I have realized studying and remembering things are not as easy as it was in my undergraduate studies.  Therefore, I decided to become more active in my brain health. Every day, or almost every day, I participate in fun and functional “brain training” games at Lumosity . My scores have gone up, partly because of continual practice but I have noticed my memory and concentration have improved.  Other ways to train your brain include reading, puzzles, math problems, learning new things, etc. These ac...
1 comment
Read more

Mentally Strong People

I have talked about getting fit in 2014 and how to train your brain for over all physical and memory health, however there are some resilient factors that mentally strong   people display that lead to overall emotional and behavioral wellness.  In all honesty, the world is a dog eat dog place and evolutionarily speaking, we as humans need to adapt to better survive. According to the article by Amy Morin, a fellow psychotherapist, there are 13 factors that mentally strong people carry out that I will provide my opinion on below 1.     They Don’t Waste Time Feeling Sorry for Themselves Instead of having a pity party, mentally strong individuals are proactive in making their situation better. Like I said, life can be difficult and I am not minimizing anyone’s situation, however those who are most resilient don’t wallow in their sadness and troubles. 2.     They Don’t Give Away Their Power No matter what happens to you or wh...
1 comment
Read more

My First Post!

Hello Everyone! I am excited and skeptical about writing this first post. Every time you start something new and unfamiliar it can cause uncertainty. Additionally if you know me personally, I am not the most technologically savvy. I have never had an interest in writing a blog; however my uncle began a blog and mentioned how much joy and fulfillment it brought him. Also, in my pursuit of my degree I have realized that I acquire interesting and inspiring knowledge every day that can help others. Through writing this, I hope to dispel some of my creative juices, express myself professionally and hopefully light a fire in you with some of the topics I chose to post about. Please take the time to follow my uncle’s blog at   http://adventuresofteacher-dad.com/ and I look forward to writing more.  Future Therapist
1 comment
Read more