Describe your experience. Did you find it beneficial? Difficult? Why or why not? Would you recommend this to others? Why or why not?
I found the "Loving Kindness" experience very beneficial. It not only helped me to feel a sense of control over my emotions for my loved ones; it also gave me a sense of hope and peace about uncontrolled factors such as the struggles faced by my loved ones. The only difficult part of the exercise was having to face my own suffering and my loved one's suffering head on. I usually try to avoid dwelling on and thinking about situations that are out of my control or that make me sad. This exercise kind of forces you to take on things that you normally try not to think about. The beneficial part of it was that it allowed me to realize that I can still feel happy and hopeful after addressing these issues and that small gestures and contributions can help. I would recommend the exercise to others but not to everyone. I think that people who are faced with the grief of uncertainty or a lost loved one could find this exercise rather difficult. Personally, I think I might find it more difficult depending on the circumstances. Over all, it was a useful and helpful exercise though.
What is the concept of "mental workout"? What does the research indicate are the proven benefits of a mental workout? How can you implement mental workouts to foster your psychological health?
Mental workout can range from testing memory and recollection to meditation, focusing, and comprehension. The benefits of a mental workout are better memory, increased ability to notice detail, and a better understanding of stress managment and problem solving. With my workload and responsibilites, I can certainly use the benefits of a mental workout. For example, at a group meeting for my job, we were told that our jobs are actually the worse on mental health. It is very fast paced, noisy, requires a lot of multitasking, meticulous detail, and quick thinking. Sometimes my job is so overwhelming, I can forget what I had for breakfast that morning. I can use mental workouts to counteract the detrimental effects of such a highly demanding job.
Hi Tiffany,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear that the exercise helped you to confront sad situations. We never know what cards will be dealt to us in life. However, the key is to learn how to take a negative and turn it into a positive situation. When you are at peace with yourself and loving you, the task doesn't seem so impossible to do it for someone else. I always considered myself as a pretty well-grounded person but must admit these exercises have taken me to a higher level of consciousness. I appreciate the challenge because there is always room for improvement.