Words of Wisdom from Dan Laitman

Well, the world is slowly dying and people are panicking. Also, Costco is cleaning up in fears of the coronavirus and REALLY gunning to sell their 20lb buckets of mac and cheese (also, really good if you’re going through a break up, wait, what? Who said that?).

This was a really dark start to a piece…but let’s talk about mental health because, guys! It’s spring! It can be hard to keep up your mood and to also not go completely crazy, I know, but here are some tips to help you get your minds straight in this insane world we live in, whether we like it or not. Quick disclosure: I am NOT by any means an expert on this. I still succumb to breaking down and crying in a bathtub on occasion, but I can help YOU out.

One thing you can do that’s completely free (hooray!) is to go outside! Take a walk, go to the park, feed some birds, hang out in a Best Buy and don’t buy anything. Another thing that is probably my favorite thing to do is see a movie. If it’s good, that’s great. If it’s bad, you can talk about it ad nauseam.

The one thing that I, personally, should do to keep a level mind in this crazy storm of chaos is take a jog. Not on the treadmill, which, in my opinion, is just a plastic monstrosity that is only good for justifying watching the food network on your phone. Go outside! It’s worth it for the fresh air and if you’re in the city even better! Just go lock eyes with all those people that spite you for taking care of your body and mind. So satisfying.

Eating healthy (I love this one) is also a way to improve mental health. There are plenty of things that affect mood and thought-clarity, but the biggest one, surprisingly, is diet. We all think of happiness, or at least I do, as biting into something fatty or sugary.

But eating that way all the time can affect mental health, physical health and, hey, I’ve learned that some salads can be pretty damn good. If you have to put dressing on it, and this is what my uncle lives by, there are vegetables somewhere in there (please don’t do too much though—we’d like to keep you around).

Or, and I’ve saved the best for last, not to say you can’t do this any time of year and you should: talk to somebody! This has always helped me and anyone I know regardless of season. The best medicine has and will always be human connection and I guess this is too deep for a humor piece, but it’s a mental health article too, so I think it still works.

Anyway, with these times and these ideas, I hope you can navigate this season. And if you’re ever in a bind and feeling stressed this season, take a deep breath, sit down, and remember the holidays are, like, two seasons away, so at least you have plenty of time before you have to see your in-laws.