The Truth About Mental Health by Paula Sweet at Absolute Mind

his is episode 155 of the Absolute Mind podcasts and today I am covering how to keep motivated when exercising.

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Please do bear in mind that we have created this podcast to be of some insight and some sort of assistance but by no means a way to treat conditions on their own.

If you do have any deep-rooted conditions or ailments that you'd like some assistance with on a one-to-one professional approach, then please feel free to contact either me or Michael on Facebook or directly through the website and we can arrange sessions that way or via Skype, whatever suits.

I have decided to do this post today because I myself have not long since got back to my gym routine since the Christmas period and being back has brought back so many memories of when I would always try to start a new fitness regime and fail over and over again because I just wasn't quite ready or motivated enough to stick to it!

So if you want to remain motivated and stick to your healthy fitness conscious way of life then today's podcast could be the one for you, and if you're starting out then welcome, buckle up and get ready for a new way of thinking.

Why do we fail at exercise?

If you're one of the many who make new years resolutions to loose weight and exercise more did you know that only 8 percent of the 45 percent who make them actually succeed?? now the most popular types of resolutions generally involve some level of fitness, weight loss or new healthy lifestyle. So why do we quit? How is it that we start the new year with motivation, enthusiasm to quit just a short period after?

1. Busy Life

Between having to work for a living and having a happy family life/personal life its easy to feel like you run out of hours during the day. Using this as an excuse is simply that, an excuse! The amount of times I used to say I have no time to work out but would then sit and watch TV or go on my phone, We all have time! Even a 15 minute brisk walk, jog, run, whatever you can manage to get your body fitter and stronger. The saying the more you do it the easier it becomes, well it doesn't get easier you get better at doing it! so stop telling yourself you have no time and make the time. Even if you "have" to watch your tv programmes do something in-between the adverts or whilst watching do some moving.

Get rid of all potential excuses, if you have 1 hour lunch break at work, cu it down to 30 minutes then spend the rest of it getting your heart rate up. This will have the added benefit of a midday energy boost to go back to work with.

Nobody ever regrets a workout, the only regret is the workout they didn't do!

2. Going it alone

Studies show that those who exercise alone are more likely to give up sooner than those who have a gym buddy, gym class, or workout with a partner. This is because when we go it alone there's no accountability. When we make a pact with ourselves its much easier to let ourselves down than a partner or buddy.

So if you find that you quit too easily and throw the towel in then perhaps start looking at who you could partner up with. Try some PT sessions, join some groups, theres so much out there from running groups, cycling, walking, dancing, cross-fit, the list is endless. Who knows you might meet some amazing friends at the groups who are all in the same mindset as you, wanting to get fitter, stronger and healthier. And they do say you become like the 5 people you spend most of your time with so surround yourself with health conscious people who help support you and keep you accountable.

4. Too much too soon

Too much too soon, or the burn out as i like to call it. Hands up how many of you started your new healthy life style aiming for 6 days a week, high intensity, full blown diet overhaul and found it all a little overwhelming. Don't think you can go from little or no exercise to marathon runner in a matter of a week.

Slow and steady, gradually build your stamina. Push yourself a little harder every time. experiment with food, nutrition and different types of exercise.

5. Not enjoyable

If you're exercising and finding that you truly hate every minute of it then try something new! Exercise should be fun, find something that you look forward to doing every single time and cant wait to go back for more.

If you ask a professional athlete why they do what they do they will tell you because they love it, they enjoy pushing their bodies to the limit, but that doesn't mean they enjoy every exercise, if you tell a cyclist to change to a runner I'm almost certain they wouldn't enjoy it as much and it would take a lot of ...

Todays podcast is this weeks fourth instalment on the discussion of anger. Today I discuss how t deal with somebody else's anger if you are the one being targeted.

This is session number 131 of the Absolute Mind podcast and this show is all about overcoming OCD and getting on with your life normally.

Obsessive compulsive disorders can be extremely limiting. The impulse or feeling that OCD creates around different areas of our lives can make a living day to day normally feel impossible.

In this podcast, I outline some simple tips and strategies that you can actively begin to work on to aim to overcome OCD.

The end of this podcast, also has a hypnotherapy session to help guide you through this process.

Before we dive into this podcast, Paula and I have been actively promoting a weight loss package offer on this podcast. The most popular podcast out of all of these so far, has been the weight loss Hypnosis session with 48220 downloads to date.

Here is the Podcast Weight Loss Offer Page

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But so many of you contacted us to say that you'd like a bit more help with weight loss, and asked for a more rounded weight loss program. This is exactly why Paula created the weight loss download offer.

This package has been extremely successful over the past few months and has helped many of you, and thank you so much for sending the personal messages on Facebook and emails to myself and Paula, telling us your successes and journey so far we really do appreciate them.

We decided, that as of the end of March we will be pulling this Weight loss offer as we feel we want to create some more packages around other extremely popular podcasts. We will cover anxiety, depression, building confidence and also relationships.

Again, we aim to create a 10 session hypnosis package for you to listen to directly on your phone without the need to download the tracks for simplicity.

So, those of you who are interested in the current weight loss download offer. I'll put a link in the show notes so you can get to it there. Or alternatively, visit absolutemind.co.uk/offer and purchase this package now for only £19 UK pounds. Remember, if you're listening to this after March 2017. This offer will have expired.

So, let's go on with the tips to help you overcome OCD.

This one may be quite difficult to swallow, but usually an OCD is there to protect you in some way shape or form. There is a part of us that feels that we need to carry out the certain task or ritual in order to be safe and in some cases happy. The OCD process has been fabricated through some strange and passed habit, but is there now to protect and preserve you. So understand that your OCD is not a foe but it is trying to be a friend.

Whenever our OCD is kicking, don't try to actively fight that thought. If you think about it, by trying to avoid the OCD, you're simply adding fuel to the issue by telling your brain this is something to be fearful of, something you don't like, something you want to get rid of. Therefore, it will begin to create an anchor which is a point in time to reference a later date to bring back quickly the negative feelings associated with it. So in simple terms just let it be a strange is that maybe.

The word fear, has been broken down into many different acronyms to help a person understand. But if you use the acronym Face Everything And Recover for fear then you can begin to apply the methodology to your OCD. This ties in slightly to the above tip which is don't fight it, face everything and recover is all about dealing with what presents and working to overcome it. The more you practice this, the better you will become it it and the more likely you will be to overcome that particular OCD.

So practice on the small stuff first, in ways that your OCD may not be a strong, and face it, deal with it, and notice how you begin to feel better that you've done so. Remember, don't fight it, and don't get frustrated because it's there to try to be helpful.

You won't find a calm and relaxed person who has a debilitating OCD. Your general anxiety level, is a gauge of how quickly, and easily you can become anxious to a point of reaction. OCD is our level of reaction to anxiety, and therefore if you're able to reduce your overall anxiety levels, then you will notice your ability to deal with your OCD becomes far easier. This is why hypnosis is extremely good at dealing with OCD, because a large part of hypnosis is about creating relaxation and calmness.

It can be quite difficult to stomach, the saying that feelings are safe, and they can't hurt you. Because those people who are suffering from anxiety, fear, OCD’s and depression, can't relate to that comment. Let me put it this way, out feelings are created from within, n...

🌞 Wake Up to Wellness: How Morning Light and Movement Boost Your Mental Health 🏃‍♀️

Welcome back to another Self-Care Saturday on Your Absolute Mind! I'm your host, Paula Sweet, and today we're uncovering the magic recipe for a mentally healthy day. Spoiler alert: it involves morning light and movement!

• 🎉 The true meaning behind "Move a muscle, change a thought."
• 🧠 How endorphins, aka 'nature's happy pills,' elevate your mood.
• 🌞 The surprising benefits of soaking in morning sunlight.
• 🚶‍♀️ Simple and effective movement routines that anyone can do.
• 😴 The ripple effect of morning habits on your overall day and even your sleep.

1. Move It to Improve It: Physical activity releases endorphins, lifting your mood and lowering stress.
2. Sunrise, New Mindset: Morning sunlight sets your circadian rhythm, helping your body wake up and eventually wind down for sleep.
3. It's Easier Than You Think: Even a modest 20-minute brisk walk can reduce your risk of premature death by 16-30%.

• Welcome and Intro
• Why moving a muscle changes your thoughts
• The science behind endorphins
• The power of morning sunlight
• Simple daily movement routines
• How morning habits impact your mental health
• Wrap-up and what to look forward to

• Study from the University of Cambridge on physical activity and mental health
• Your Absolute Mind App: Build positive mental health habits daily Google Play Store Apple App Store

🙏 Thank You for Tuning In!

Remember, it's not about a complete lifestyle overhaul overnight. It's about taking simple steps daily to better your mental health. Subscribe to keep getting soulful, science-backed tips for a healthier mind and body.

👋 Till Next Time, Look After Yourself!