Staying Sane

A new report, “Mental Capital and Wellbeing” by Foresight, a U.K. government think tank, shows that there are five things a day we should all do to improve our mental wellbeing. Similar to the way eating enough servings of fruits and vegetables keeps you physically healthy; there are things that can keep you mentally healthy.

You can read a summary of the report here:

“Do five simple things a day to stay sane, say scientists” at TimesOnline

Or the entire report here:

The Foresight Project on Mental Capital and Wellbeing

But, as way of summary, here are the five things:

Connect - Developing relationships with family, friends, colleagues and neighbors will enrich your life and bring you support

Be active - Sports, hobbies such as gardening or dancing, or just a daily stroll will make you feel good and maintain mobility and fitness

Be curious - Noting the beauty of everyday moments as well as the unusual and reflecting on them helps you to appreciate what matters to you

Learn - Fixing a bike, learning an instrument, cooking – the challenge and satisfaction brings fun and confidence

Give - Helping friends and strangers links your happiness to a wider community and is very rewarding

This was a secular study, but notice that each one of these things is a core piece of the life of an active Christian lived out in the church.

Connect – Developing relationships with fellow journeyers on the path of discipleship for support and accountability. At University we are intentional about this from the beginning. All new members take part in uconnect 101, where we connect to the church and one another.

Be active – Be present in the life of the church in worship, fellowship, study and mission. While some Christians choose to only participate in Sunday worship, the calling is to be actively involved in the life and ministry if the church (see below.)

Be curious – Psalm 8: O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.

Part of the role of worship is to simply take in the glory of the Lord. When we connect to this, every moment of our lives can be worshipful as we take in the wonder of creation in everything we see and do.

Learn – Part of the journey of discipleship is to learn. We learn not just for information, but for transformation as we study scripture and hope to better understand it meaning in our lives. At University, the Pathway to Discipleship is designed to begin a lifelong journey of learning and transformation.

Give – We offer our prayer presence, gifts and service in response to God to be a part of God’s work in the world. As United Methodists, we give connectionally, knowing that our gifts are at work all around the globe.

So, if you want to stay mentally fit, engage in the life that God has created for us as a community of believers. Your brain will thank you.

Peace,

will