One can take consolation from the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) definition of health. Under its constitution, health is: ‘… a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’. The definition was updated in the 1986 WHO “Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion” to say that health is a “resource for everyday life, not the objective of living”, and “… a positive concept emphasising social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities”.
What we can take away from this is that health is just as much a state of the mind as it is physical wellbeing. We know all too well the basic ways to keep our bodies physically healthy. Perhaps it is time we start focussing on our mental aspects as well; such as keeping a positive outlook and staying motivated.
But simply thinking “I’m going to be positive and have a great attitude” doesn’t cut it. You have to work at staying positive and motivated. Everyday; hard as it is. You have to take deliberate action to have a positive attitude. You can’t just think about being positive, you have to act. In other words, walk the talk. Think about it as a physical workout for your brain – mind over matter.
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Category(s):Mental Health in Asia
Source material from Free Malaysia Today