Pocket Snacks 10.16.24: 8 Principles to Improve Your Mental Health
Here's your weekly dose of digestible snacks from me including
a mindset tip, a media recommendation, and an actual snack/food/recipe I've been loving!
MINDSET TIP/SHIFT
"What you believe about yourself is what you will make true about yourself."
I've been thinking about the narratives we tell ourselves and how they can turn into self-fulfilling prophecies in a variety of ways. This can be true with how we think about food and also in life.
For example, I used to believe I wouldn't be good at chemistry and biology in high school because I heard my mom say she wasn't great at science. I ended up choosing a bachelor of arts in psychology instead of a bachelor of science because I believed I wouldn't have the time to devote to the science classes, and even if I did have the time, I didn't think I'd make good grades in those classes. But I ended up having to take all of those courses anyway as prerequisites for my master's degree. And guess what? I'm not bad at science. I'm actually good at it! I just made myself believe that it was a subject I wouldn't understand.
My colleague Ryann Prentice (a licensed professional therapist) describes this so well with the narratives we tell ourselves about food and our bodies:
If you believe that you can't eat out without it turning into a binge, you make this true by 'saving calories' before going out. Then, you show up to dinner overly hungry and BAM—out-of-control eating happens.
If you believe you are unlovable in your body, you make this true by avoiding dates, social situations, and dismissing love from friends and family. By doing this, you never give yourself a chance to experience love in your current body.
If you believe you can't have cookies in the house without eating the whole box, you make this true by trying to avoid the cookies, then spiraling into f-it mode and eating the entire box when they’re around.
It’s really a self-fulfilling prophecy, isn’t it?
So… is the problem that you really can’t go out to eat without losing control? That you are really unlovable at this body size? That you really can’t have cookies in the house?
…OR is the problem that you believe those things to be true? So much so, that you make them true.
Get Honest and Reflect
What beliefs do you have that aren’t helping you live the life you want?
To be the person you want to be?
Who taught you those beliefs? Are they actually true or are they just what you've been led to believe about yourself?
Challenge yourself to change the narrative
What’s one belief you currently have that you don't want to have anymore? What do you need to stop believing that? Do that.
Example:
I don't want to believe I can't have cookies in the house without eating the entire box anymore. I need to show myself that I CAN have cookies, by practicing with them! That's what I'm working on this week.
*The above prompts were provided in Ryann's free weekly newsletter,
The Perspective Shift. It's one of those newsletters I open every week, and I highly recommend subscribing.
MEDIA RECS (podcast episode)
Real Pod: 8 Principles That Changed My Life For The Better
Keeping up with the theme of the mindset shift above, I really enjoyed this recent episode of Real Pod. It's an easy listen, and the principles are simple and practical.
Episode Description:
In honor of World Mental Health Day, Victoria dives into the eight principles that changed her life and mental health for the better. As someone who truly prioritizes her mental health and has dedicated herself to cultivating inner peace, she shares the tools and insight she’s gained in her journey inwards. Victoria shares the biggest changes that have positively impacted her mental health and provides powerful examples from her own life to help you on your own journey. With a focus on vulnerability and real, actionable takeaways, this episode is packed with TLC to ensure you leave feeling empowered and supported. Tune in and join Victoria as she celebrates the power of prioritizing your mental health that could make all the difference in your day-to-day life.
🎙️Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
SNACK/FOOD/RECIPE (recipe)
One of my favorite appetizers at the restaurant where I work a couple nights a week is the shishito peppers. One of the things I encourage clients to do in order to practice nutrition by addition is to try cooking foods in different ways. Ex: I hate steamed broccoli, but I love roasted broccoli and cauliflower! I felt like this recipe would be a fun way to try a veggie I like prepared in a different way than I'm used to.
Recipe Description:
In this recipe, shishito peppers are sliced, lightly sautéed, then tossed with the raw summer corn and cumin-lime vinaigrette for a salad that's crunchy, smoky and a little spicy. Traditionally used in Japanese and Korean cooking, shishitos are small, thin skinned green peppers that have become increasingly popular in the US. They are typically mild in flavor, but the occasional pepper packs a spicy punch. If you can't find them, use diced green bell peppers in their place. Finally, cilantro-averse cooks can substitute fresh mint.
Did you enjoy this week's batch of snacks? Let me know!
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Xo, Eden
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