Kayode Iwamoyo

THE BALANCED MIND A balanced mind, a balanced life. by Author Copyright © 2020 by Some Publishing Company All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed, “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below. Some Publishing Company City, State Published in the United States of America TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction IS MY MIND BALANCED? WHAT IS A BALANCED MIND? Achieving and Maintaining a Balanced Mind Causes of an Unbalanced Mind Effects of an Unbalanced Mind Conclusion Introduction   "If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place." – Lao Tzu. If you picked up this book from the bookstore or got it as a gift, it simply tells me one thing – you are human and seek answers to questions on your mind. You probably want to know how to stay unperturbed, even when the situation calls for panic. Isn't that true?     As humans, we are a product of our thought system, and our actions are a perfect mirror of what we think and brood on. The focal point of this conception and bringing forth is the MIND. Therefore, it would be crucial to take complete care of the mind as out of it springs forth the issues of life.  Our world today is filled with just so many activities that make a lot of noise, and it is capable of draining one physically and mentally. The advent of technology has indeed been able to simplify some processes, yet has been quite incapable of reducing the busyness of the people of the world. There's always a 'new normal' that changes the status quo but leaves the world running.  We live in a fast-paced world with a lot of noise, where we continuously have decisions to make, deadlines to meet, responsibilities to take, options to choose from, and so many worries to deal with. However, in all of these noises, for our mental and physical health, it becomes necessary to decide how to live our lives – what we permit to stay and what we don't. Here comes the balance!  It's no new news that 'the mind can be likened to a battlefield where negative and positive thoughts engage in a constant fight for dominance, and we are the custodian of the gates of this battleground. We have to consciously or unconsciously choose and allow ourselves to settle for one of these thoughts, giving it the power to dominate. Negative thoughts would always birth a harmful lifestyle, and you sure know that a positive lifestyle can be traced to positive thinking.  You would agree with me that emotions, for instance, happiness and joy aren't as abstract as it's thought to be. The human mind is not a separate piece. It is connected to our physical body, health, and wellness. Our physical health is directed and influenced by how healthy our mind is. It is because the mind is an extension of the brain. Remember, we said it's the focal point. Not every haggard-looking person out there suffers from malnutrition. For some, it's a result of anxiety and worry – indicators of an unbalanced mind. In developing a balanced mind, the work and discipline involved can be likened to what is needed to maintain a healthy body image and a healthy lifestyle.  Let's do a little exercise. Pick a comfortable chair, a piece of paper, and a pen. Write your worries, fears, and life uncertainties on one page of the paper, and your achievements on another side of the paper. This exercise is not to help you focus on your fears and worries but to see that you're not a failure, as the negative thought in your mind's room has made you believe you are. You need to ask yourself these questions. What do I allow to grow in my mind? Do I feed my mind with the right things? What result do I want to see? What do I need to do to achieve the outcome I really desire? These questions would help you discover the state of your mind and what needs to be done. Unemployment, infertility, job insecurity, loss of a loved one, and lack of contentment amidst others has been a constant source of worry for so many, thereby leading to an unbalanced mind. What about financial instability, marital failure or disappointments, childlessness, bully, low self-esteem, domestic violence, fear of missing out, they all lead to the same negative effect. In recent times, depression and suicide are almost becoming a norm, and an in-depth study reveals that the root cause of this menace can be traced to an unbalanced mind – a ruffled, unsettled mind. A balanced mind would remain unperturbed, even in the face of pains, chaos, and noise. You ask, 'how possible is that?' A further dig into this book will open your mind to see what you need to do to live a mentally healthy life and maintain a balanced mind. The formula you need to forge ahead and build a balanced mind is embedded in finding peace in all situations and tackling issues with a calm demeanor. In all of these, it's more important to build a system of deriving peace and joy from both internal and external systems.   CHAPTER ONE IS MY MIND BALANCED? I'm pretty sure you want me to answer this question as soon as possible. I'm going to tell you the story of a young lady, and then together, we can solve the issues on your mind. Let's call her Ann.   'Ann, you have a message,' Carl said as she handed over a white envelope to Ann. A mist of tears had formed in Carl's eyes. She had helped her sister pick up the envelope from the hospital when the call came in for her as she could not stop by from her way home. Ann had to work extra hours to keep up with her medical bills, which grew by the day. She took a quick look into the paper and saw it was another chemo session schedule and her incurred bills as expected. Carl looked at her sympathetically, Ann, I'm worried for you, for us. She heaved a sigh of relief and said almost loudly, 'I'm sure I'll scale through this.' Her sister, who gets perturbed at the slightest, gave her a worried look. Ann caught her glance but chose to look away. She picked her bible and headed for church listening to her favorite song 'Jesus, Lover of my soul' as she went along, smiling at everyone she came in contact with. Ann was a young lady in her early twenties. For someone who has barely spent two and a half decades, she was battling with rejection from the society – a result of her tribe; she had a boss who rarely gets satisfied and then, the growing bills from her chemo sessions. However, it's more surprising that Ann wore one of the best smiles at work and church and barely gets worried. She says volunteering to teach children stories and to help the aged delights her. Struggling with the excruciating pain she experiences and her mounting bills, Ann would still spend her weekends with children and another with older people. What a kind heart and a balanced mind! Now, let me ask you once again, is your mind balanced? If you were in Ann's shoe, what would be your disposition towards the situation? Are you like Carl who would get worried even if the soup gets burnt, or a boss shouts at you? Then your mind isn't balanced. It is not a judgmental statement, but I want to help you discover the state of your mind.   CHAPTER TWO WHAT IS A BALANCED MIND? Change is a constant but changing phenomenon of life. I understand how tiring it can be to be adapting to a change that occurs when you've almost not recovered from the adaptation of a previous change. The best way to handle change requires a lot of positive energy and character to get the best of situations. A balanced mind is a mind that is free from anxious thoughts, negative vibes, and energy. A stable mind stays steady, resolute, unruffled, undisturbed, and happy amidst pains and fears. A balanced mind doesn't brood over issues without viewing it through the lenses of positivity – it's merely positive, calm, and happy! Having a stable mind does not mean there are no troubling circumstances. As humans, it's pretty a common thing to fall into self-pity or depression when we do not achieve our goals or reach a projected height. A negative attitude like this is totally unhealthy and can lead to further mental disorders when not taken care of properly. A balanced mind is taking a ready position for whatever side a circumstance presents and taking it in good faith.   SIGNALS OF A BALANCED MIND A balanced mind though innate, can be reflected on the outside. A balanced mind, which is clearly a result of a properly functioning brain, shows the following signals: a feeling of calmness, tranquility, and focus, a sense of gratitude, positivity and an unruffled peace of mind.    BENEFITS OF A BALANCED MIND Our life is a whole bunch of ups and downs, highs and lows, and all of these can be hectic and can be very unpleasant. It's easier to fall into a state of gloominess and to carry a disturbed mind. But, it does more harm than good and would only compound problems. Hence the need to engage in mind destressing becomes necessary. In this world of noise and turmoil, having a balanced mind remains the panacea. Exploring some of the benefits of maintaining a balanced mind would prove to you that keeping your mental health under close watch is highly crucial and rewarding. Some of the benefits of maintaining a balanced mind include the following:    A balanced mind is like a medicine to the soul. Ann knew she had failing health, and would only quicken her aging process by allowing negative thought to build up in her mind. She approaches her day with a joyful disposition, despite her debilitating health conditions. It helps you to stay hopeful and focus more on internal joy. It heals you of pains that even drugs cannot.    A balanced and healthy mind yields a balanced lifestyle. Just like a balanced diet, a well-balanced mind would definitely translate to a balanced lifestyle. It's easier to be a wife, a mother, a boss or an employee, a daughter, a social worker or a religious worker, or an advocate of a particular cause when your mind stays balanced. A balanced lifestyle is when you're able to give adequate attention, time, and energy to each compartment of your life without muddling things up. Ann understood this concept and despised her failing health to create a balance. She loved caring for children and the aged, and wouldn't let her failing health steal her intentions to live a balanced life. She knew she wasn't in control of her physical health, but could control her mental health, what was allowed to bother her and what she didn't. So, having a balanced mind helps to live a balanced and fulfilled life.   A balanced mind is a precursor to good sleep. Let's assume Ann was continually filling her hearts with the worries of her failing health, her growing bills, her job insecurities, and many other snag troubles, would she be blessed with sound sleep? No! Going through chemo alone is enough pain, and is enough reasons to stay awake. For an unruffled mind, a mindset on the higher side of positive thinking and positive building, a night of sleep is as right as a moment away from troubles. Rest should be a moment of calm and solace away from a world of worries and anxieties and should be well utilized. However, you can wake up from the wrong side of the bed, more disturbed than you went to bed last night – if you refuse to clear your mind of worries. A balanced mind however, is a sweet chariot that takes you to dreamland, where you can come back with hopes for the future and positive energy to face the day. Let me paint a picture in your head. I once had a deadline to meet, but there I was with unyielding devices and lost inspiration, it became a thing of worry. I started reminding myself of how I knew it was a bad day from the moment my first alarm rang, to the coffee spill on my yellow flowery dress, when I was supposed to do a presentation at work, how I got stuck in traffic and got a query from my employer. Brooding over all of these worries, I slept off disturbed and thinking I would wake up to a solution. I probably deceived myself because this incident showed me how much our mind stores events during the day, only to be replayed at night. The next morning wasn't a good story to tell. In subsequent times, I cleared my mind off everything that wasn't working, and I can tell you, I didn't just have a good sleep, I woke up energized and ready for the new day's work.  Dear reader, I can tell you that the state of your mind is a strong determining factor in the quality of sleep you get. Good sleep will come naturally for you if you maintain a balanced and clear mind. Bid insomnia goodbye by helping your mind to stay balanced.   A balanced mind gives clarity. A healthy mind is a place of clarity. It's easier to think clearly and make the right decisions when you maintain a balanced mind. A stable mind makes it easier to think rightly, make the right decisions, and relax, even in the face of panic. Having a balanced mind, clear of worries, anxieties, and fears is one of the ways to live a healthy life.   A balanced mind helps to achieve goals Meeting deadlines and attaining heights may actually involve so much stress and energy, but de-stressing the mind and disengaging the mind of every negative thought and activity can help to achieve goals. It's much easier to stay focused on goals and work hard at them until they are met when you have a clear and balanced mind. Having a healthy mind and a physically fit body is a perfect match for a man. A positive mindset and been healthy generally, which includes healthy feeding, bodily exercises, and mind exercising, are essential to achieve goals – whether career, marital, or financial. A balanced mind gives room for creativity and increases efficiency.   A balanced mind gives you a positive view of life. A balanced mind helps us to view life from a positive point of view. It makes you see life in a much better way than the way the situation presents itself. A balanced mind in itself has the capability of rebalancing and repositioning itself in the face of any challenge. It's a mind used to analyzing and contemplating the right decisions to make. CHAPTER THREE Achieving and Maintaining a Balanced Mind Exercising the brain is one of the ways to achieve a balanced mind. The brain is like a powerhouse for the body; it directs controls and influences both the physical, psychological, emotional, and mental activities in the body. One of such ways of maintaining a balanced mind is meditation, which is a well-known mental exercise.    Meditation  According to The Webster dictionary, meditation means "to engage in mental exercise (such as concentration on one's breathing or repetition of a mantra) to reach a heightened level of spiritual awareness." Meditation, according to Wikipedia, is a practice where an individual uses a technique such as mindfulness or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. Meditation, as seen, is used to produce a smooth and steady state, which is at the center of a balanced mind. Meditation helps us to stay calm and carry out activities in a more relaxed state. Some tools of meditation which you could find useful in achieving and maintaining a healthy and balanced mind include:  Reflective awareness, Self-inquiry and Reflection, Contemplation, Concentration, Prayer, Regulated breathing, and quiet mind.    Reflective awareness Just like Ann, this way, the human mind reflects only on the present, and brings a balance to distraction, throwing the past behind. It is also known as mindfulness. It is a state where you accept and live in your present, without judging yourself or your histories. It involves your breathing and careful reflection of yourself and activities to calm down, reduce stress, and create a bright and calm mind. Despite the difficulties of life, this helps us to accept the situation we find ourselves, see the positive side of the case, and constructively think of strategies to turn around the conditions to our favor, while maintaining a calm nature yet.    Self-Inquiry Self-importance is similar to mindfulness in that it also shows how the mind rebalances. It involves making inquiries and reflecting on one's habits and behavior. You ask questions like, "Why do I do what I do?" Such questions help you to consciously make decisions in situations and circumstances where you have been overwhelmed by your bad habits. A revisit of your inner self will help you manage your thought systems and harmful habits that drain your energies. This way, we can criticize all our decisions and experiences, friends, and strengths to avoid falling into the pit of past errors.  To achieve and maintain a healthy and balanced mind, it becomes imperative to introspect your thoughts and belief system - analyze your attitude and give place to thoughtfulness to see what is depressing and what can be done to salvage your troubled mind.    Contemplation It is another tool that can make you have a clear mind. Sometimes, making clear cut decisions is a difficult task, especially when faced with so many options. In this kind of state, the mind could drift to a state of imbalance and would need to be calm and clear to make the best of decisions. This point is where contemplation comes in. For example, when faced with choices or change like moving to another city, or even a less developed one, reflection can help you see the positive end of the shift poised at you. You can choose to sit, lament, and assume you're just always unfortunate, or you sit, meditate by contemplating on the issue. I'm sure an Ann would sit and tell herself how beautiful the less developed city would be with natural flowers strewed on its street. This step in itself is therapeutic and can make you feel naturally at home. You can choose to enjoy your new job because it allows you close early to see to the welfare of the kids even though it's pay is not as heavy as your last job. Contemplation helps you to see the other side of situations and make clear decisions with a sense of acceptance.  The natural state of the mind of man thrives more where there is clarity other than the disorder. Contemplation helps to make calm and calculated decisions by weighing the upside of one option against the downside of the other. This way, you gain clarity, which is a product of a balanced mind.    Concentration  An unbalanced mind is one that lacks focus, one that cannot stay absorbed or dedicated to a course without losing interest. An unstable mind would naturally fall into self-pity, as it would not recognize the essence of whatever activity it's engaged in or what it is doing. It's easier for a mind that lacks concentration to carry about a feeling of carelessness. Such a mind tends to stay unbalanced because it's not interested in the people, the job, or the situation at the moment. Any activity could stir up restlessness and anger. However, an intentional concentration that begins with finding interest in people, jobs, events, or situations around and staying focused on bringing out the best of such can a beneficial tool for a mind in such a frenzied state. Concentration involves engrossing your mind until your interest is grown to the point of a proper engagement.    Prayer Prayer has proven to be a very useful tool wielded against panic, helplessness, and chaotic situations. A weapon in the hands of the believer, prayer has been used for ages to battle an unsettled mind. It's believed to be a connection to a superior power in a supreme being. The concept of prayer, for example, in Christians, is such that transfers worries and burdens on the mind to Christ, their God - believed to be the savior of humanity. Prayers would help you relieve a load of cares and anxieties only if you believe in it and in the supreme being you're praying to for answers. So, there's the place of having faith and then the position of communication. You should try to pray today and feel the warm sense of acceptance and power that would surround you.  The power of prayer is such that it helps you to no longer feel like one who's in isolation, lost or small, and this frees you from worries and creates a balanced mind.    Quiet mind The mind naturally is a place of process. Our everyday life, its activities, and challenges are continuously processed in mind, thus, the human mind is prone to wear out and mental perturbation. In a state of restlessness and too many thoughts clouding the mind, it's quite challenging to have a balanced mind. To stay balanced, the human mind needs some level of quietness. Ann had a habit of taking a walk into the park every weekend once she returned from self-motivated caregiving outings. This way, she combines reflective awareness and the practice of building a quiet mind. She would take in the beautiful pictures of blossoming flowers, reminding herself she was worth more, and if the flowers could bloom, she would one day be healed. Aside from taking a walk into parks beautified with the gifts of nature, there are some other ways to achieve a quiet mind. Some of them include listening to cool and soul-lifting music and songs, reading a poem, taking a walk with a dog, going outdoors, and continuous relaxation of your muscles. The beauty of living is made evident in the serenity and quietness life itself brings as well as the calm demeanor we can exhibit even in the face of troubles and trials. A balanced mind is possible if we can clear our thoughts and give it the luxury of quietness.    Regulated breathing Situations that induces an unbalanced mind, also places high demands of pressure on the physical body, thereby causing stress. As a result of this induced stress, specific metabolic processes in humans are usually altered. One of such processes is respiration - pressure and an unsettled mind changes breathing means in humans with irregular heartbeats. I had once been in this state, where I was anxious about events ahead of me. It pressurized my body and gave way to fast and irregular breathing. How did I overcome this? One of the most underutilized but effective means of maintaining a balanced mind diet is regulated or controlled breath. Although we breathe at all times, it's essential to know that the manner and rate at which we do, is also an indicator of our health and wellness, among others, there may be. Deep breaths and deep sighs in a relaxed state is one way to rebalance the body and mind. Breathing is one way to respond to pressures and to achieve its purpose of maintaining a state of tranquility; one must carefully and consciously choose to engage in it. It's essential to concentrate on the rhythm and depth. You should take slower and deeper breaths, about three breaths in thirty seconds, with your hands placed on your stomach, as you feel the expansion caused by the inspiration of air and the contraction caused by the expiration of air through the nose.    Sleep One of the ways to get good sleep is to clear your mind off your tasks and responsibilities. Rest is an integral process of the human body, which, when stolen away, can be disastrous. Developing and maintaining a balanced mind requires a good rest, relaxation, and sleep technique. However, drug-induced sleep is not advisable.   Identify your stressors One day, I glanced through an article and saw a caption, "what a man doesn't know does not kill him." Really? It'll probably depend on the context, maybe. In this case, well, you really need to know what is taking its toll on you so you can understand how best to deal with it. There are times when I met people who would often say they are worried and don't know their cause of worry. You can take a seat if you're in that shoe and meditate, think back to when you last had a peace of mind, then think about the activities that cumulate into you losing your calm. It might not be associated with peace loss or worry. It might be outright work or physical stress, in a case like this, just look for the best way to go about your work without pressure. You may need to be more strategic or shelve a little out of work. The first thing is usually identifying the stressors then tackle it from there.   Socialize and interact with positive and great minds There is a reason that almost everyone agrees that evil communication will corrupt good manners. Your company determines your person most times, birds of a feather are expected to flock together. You shouldn't plan to keep a balanced mind, and you'll keep walking with folks who are always toxic and harmful. If you feel you're strong enough, a time will come a few of their words will strike you and make you join their group. Arguably, one of the best things you can do for your mind and mental health is to always walk with positive thoughts. Walk with people who will grow with you and not those who can pull you down faster than the force of gravity.    Engage your mind in creative activities and activities that induce a sense of peace  Always endeavor to engage in activities that induce a sense of mental gains and creativity. These activities could be drawing, reading, writing, singing, or anything that positively involves your mind. These activities keep you focused most times, and unconsciously helps set the balance your mind needs. Ann, as read about earlier, engaged herself with teaching the children and also helping the aged. These are things that would stabilize her mind and keep her balanced.   Consciously guard your thought system. It's essential to monitor your thought systems and what patterns your thoughts follow. This way, it's easier to guard what goes in and out of your mind. The moment we are unable to defend or monitor our thoughts system, that moment, we open the gates of our mind for any stray thoughts. You could choose to assume for people. Giving excuses for people's mistakes in your mind is one way to avoid the feelings of viewing them as enemies or foes. It goes something like this: If a car rushes past you, in a frenzied or haphazard manner, defying all traffic rules, you could choose to hit him intentionally. And in your effort trying to prove your driving prowess and eventually land both of you in the court or shout at him for driving so roughly, after all, you were right, and he was wrong! Raising your voice could cause a rush of blood, increasing your blood pressure and the perturbation on your mind.  On the other hand, you could choose to handle the solution calmly and use the traffic warning signals to give this fast and furious driver a warning. You could further choose to provide excuses for his actions. 'He's probably running off to a hospital to see his dying mother,'...maybe she's rushing her son off to the A&E unit of the hospital. So, today, when you come across a frustrating and angry salesperson who shouts at you while you're trying to decide on which handbag to purchase, don't allow your mind to accept the thought that "she's rude," instead, wear a smile and assume she's probably over-stressed. Your thought system should not be accommodating every single hurt, or else you'll end up a piece of baggage of injuries and pains with so much on your mind. Trust me that way, you can never develop a balanced mind.    Take social media breaks. I want to emphasize how important this is. This thing here might not take the first place on this list, but it is one of the most important, and I believe everyone can relate to it. Social media is a technological gift that can be enjoyed if well used. However, misuse and abuse have become the order of the day. Anyone who would develop a balanced, clear, calm mind would have to make conscious efforts to free the mind from fears, hurts, pains, and worries. Social media is a noisy world, even if you work and live there practically, it's still important to take a break for your mental stability.    Live a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle would mean active involvement in physical bodily exercises, jogging, strolling/taking walks, and, most importantly, eating a healthy diet. Understand your dietary needs, see a nutritionist or a physician assess your body needs.  All of these are not just necessary to make you grow and stay fit; they also help in clearing the mind. An example of such activity is swimming. Swimming helps to stimulate proper blood flow and is also helpful as it tends to calm the nerves.   Be a source of help to others. Do you remember our friend Ann? Do you remember how she stayed positive even in the face of so many trials? And how she found a sense of fulfillment in helping and caring for children as well as the aged. Whether you're battling with failing health, or the loss of a loved one or a constant hurt, one of the ways to heal and develop a balanced mind is to help others. When you help others, it's a beautiful way of destressing and shutting your mind off the noise erupting from within or without. Assisting others can change your focus from the '...me syndrome' to 'you, we, us, they and them." It helps you to worry less about what's not working in your life and is a way of giving back.    CHAPTER FOUR Causes of an Unbalanced Mind There is a growing list of what causes a person's mind to be unbalanced. These are the things you need to run from if you love your mind and mental health. I hope you've not forgotten that prevention is much better than cure. A stitch in time saves nine. Take the following causes to heart;   Lack of adequate sleep and rest It has been discovered that when adequate sleep is lacking in the body, the brain cells have issues communicating so well with each other, which could lead to visual perception and mental lapses. It could also cause the neurons and central nervous systems to malfunction, which may cause the individual to have difficulty in learning and concentration. When the brain cells fail to communicate, it is expedient that a sort of unbalanced is created. In simpler terms, assume you were supposed to talk with someone over the phone, and you both needed to do something simultaneously, but then you got drunk, and you couldn't communicate effectively with the other guy over the phone. The best two options will be either you get a good rest and wait till you can communicate well, or you guys both go ahead and work with poor communication meaning you may run the risk of coming up with a substandard result. It is just what happens when the brain doesn't get enough sleep and it is expected to function. Lack of adequate sleep definitely affects the mental state of an individual, which may lead to an unbalanced mind. Research has made us discover that quality sleep is essential for keeping an excellent general brain health, meaning a lack of it can cause psychological disorders.    Stress Stress can be said to be caused by straining the body or brain more than its capacity. Stress can be of varying degrees, and the length is equally varying. The causes of stress can range from too much thinking, too much work. There are times when stress may not cause a person to think correctly because the brain is overloaded; stress may also cause a person to be weak because the body is vulnerable. Stress could cause a person to be anxious, have mood swings, and other issues caused by an unbalanced mind. It is believed that when a part of the brain is working, the different parts of the brain are a little relaxed until it is time for them to function in full effect; this is how the mind is uniformly rested. Once a part of the brain is working; it becomes strained and distorts the functioning and communication of the brain. Most times, when a part of the brain is continuously used, it strengthens, and the unused portion of the brain begins to weaken. It shows why an artist will keep getting better at drawing as long as he keeps practicing and getting weaker at art he doesn't practice. Due to stress, more myelin is produced, and fewer neurons are produced; this will result in excess myelin in some part of the brain while fewer neurons are present some part of the brain. The implication of this is that the balance of communication between the brain is tampered with among other things. One of the signs of a balanced mind is a stable and adequately functioning brain, and once this is distorted, the mind will definitely be unbalanced.   Lack of exercise You can be forgiven for thinking exercising is only for building the body and muscles, but one thing we may not pay attention to is exercise helps the mind and the brain. One of the things that can quickly come to mind when talking about how exercises can help balance the mind is Yoga. Yoga is not just the only good exercise for balancing the mind, other exercises and participating in sporting activities helps the brain. While exercising, the flow of blood increases carrying with it more nutrients needed by the brain cells while it also takes away chemicals that induce stress or anxiety in you. There are times when few programmers we interacted with told us how they often go to engage in sports anytime their brain is stuck while writing complex programs; they say it helps them relax their minds. What more do you need to get your mind refreshed and balanced than a useful exercise?   Lack of Meditation As talked about earlier concerning Yoga, Yoga is a meditation exercise that has been discovered to help people focus and calm. There are times that for a person's mind to be "reset," he or she needs some moment of meditation. Meditation is quite different from thinking or worrying; meditation is all about focusing on and freeing the mind of all worry and anxiety. Meditation is just about sitting down and doing nothing, and it is more about refocusing the mind or "balancing the mind." Lack of reflection means the person has no time to refocus his or her mind; at intervals, the mind needs mediations for better repositioning.   Excessive or abusive use of drugs There are usually different strokes for different folks, but one thing is sure, the use of illicit drugs and the excessive or abusive use of hard drugs cause an unbalanced mind. Different drugs have different ways of tampering with our minds. The use of illicit drugs like heroin can be as overwhelming as a pregnant woman, not taking it because it could cause her unborn child to be born addictive. When the unborn child doesn't continue taking the heroin after birth, he begins to react because heroin is usually in the bloodstream, and during pregnancy; the fetus receives nutrition via that same bloodstream. Hence, the unborn child is also indirectly ingesting the drug, making it even an addict. After the baby is born, the baby might begin to show withdrawal symptoms, sleeping troubles, seizures, and several other dangers, and almost the same thing happens when the mother uses narcotics. A baby might have nothing to think about or do with its mind, but if excess drugs can be so powerful as to affect a fetus, how much damage do you think it can do to the mind of an adult? Mood disorders, hyperactivity, decreased memory are a few things that excessive drugs can do to a person. It could also result in the loss of the Intelligent Quotient (IQ) of a person. When an adult takes excessive hard drugs, they often tend to develop a tolerance to the drug and their brain gest used to the excessive dopamine that is produced as a result. It depends on what kind of drug it is, if it is heroin, it would usually interact with the part of the brain that deals with emotions and this would make the person want to recreate this feeling in his or her mind. It could cause fatigue, drowsiness, and excessive cravings. Hard drugs or stimulants increase the activity in some part of the brain and makes some redundant, resulting in the unbalancing of a person's mind. What does excessive usage of these drugs do? They totally unbalance the mind   Malnutrition One of the effects of an unbalanced mind is the ability to reason well enough. When a person doesn't feed well, what usually happens is that it speeds up the brain's loss of neurons, which, in turn, can affect the coordination of a person and unbalance the mind and memory. These organs, which are in charge of thinking, really needs excellent and adequate food. There are experiences of when a person is working on a project that requires critical thinking, they get hungry quicker, and if they refuse to satisfy their appetite soon enough, they wouldn't be so much productive anymore. Loss of focus, distractions can arise as a result of malnutrition. To boost cognition and the ability to reason faster, a person definitely has to eat well and in proper manner.   Lack of vitamins and minerals Do I still need to tell someone you need vitamins and minerals to balance your mind? A person deficient in vitamin B12, for example, risks having brain loss, anemia; this usually results in blood loss. What transports the essential nutrients to the brain? Blood! The same brain also needs a continuous and adequate supply of neurons to function properly, which means that once there is a short supply of vitamins, the brain loses access to this constant supply. Minerals, on the other hand, can affect the development of the brain and affect a person's neurophysiology as well as it could cause the abnormal beating of the heart. Having a balanced mind also means you have a fair reasoning which relates directly to your brain and your heart.   CHAPTER FIVE Effects of an Unbalanced Mind If, just if you were thinking there can't be any form of danger or harmful effects in having an unbalanced mind. Then think again after this. There are quite a number of reasons to run from unbalancing your mind, and the list is more than laid out here, you might have figured some out if you painstakingly read through all that has been written earlier, however, a few effects of not keeping your mind balanced are:   Mood swings It has been acknowledged earlier that there are some factors that may be missing that will cause a person's mind to be unbalanced. When you see someone with frequent mood swings, it may likely result from one or more of those factors. Is it to say anytime there is a mood swing; it is because the mind is unbalanced? No. when a person has an unbalanced mind, will he always have mood swings? Yes, many times. When a person is without a focused and balanced mind, he or she would have his moods triggered quickly, and because of lack of concentration, with a little action or inaction, the person's mood would shift quickly. Have you ever seen a focused sportsperson get easily distracted by the boos of the crowd? Usually, when sportspeople react, they will tell you they had issues disturbing their minds. A person will often have mood swings until he can refocus his or her mind and balance it.    Depression One of the reasons why it is best to ensure you take care of your mental health is to avoid depression. Today, our world is fighting seriously against depression, and one of the reasons people get depressed is due to an unbalanced mind. Several factors could contribute to depression, but except it is hereditary, most of the causes of depression relate to issues of mental disorder or unstable mind. Mental stability is one of the things that characterize a balanced mind. Neurotransmitters have been said to be of help against depression, and we discovered that one of the things that could aid neurotransmission and boost the neurotransmitters without having any side effects is having a balanced mind.   Bipolar disorder Bipolar disorders can be very tragic, and no one can really point to a particular cause of bipolar disorder, but a few studies shows that it could be triggered through stress or worry or when a bipolar patient has lots of things running on her mind. Researchers also found out that a disruption in the routine of a bipolar patient could trigger or worsen the disorder in some people. These times it is advised that the patient takes adequate time to rest and relax his or her mind in order to get organized. Does a balanced mind eradicate bipolar disorder? No, but it helps ease the brain and makes the patient in better condition.   Anxiety disorder When speaking with people are times, you need to know if they are thinking or anxious. There are lots of people who are concerned and worried, and they think they are just thinking. Thinking in itself shouldn't also be done too much because it gets to a stage; it becomes worried and causes anxiety. How do you redirect your mind when it is wandering to the region of worrying? You refocus your mind and balance it. One of the effects of having an unbalanced mind is definitely worry, there are lots of things going on in your head, there are lots of things on your mind, there are things that worry and scare you, but you don't need to worry. You can stop the worry by making sure your mind is balanced. One of the most natural things that epitomize an unbalanced mind is a worry or anxiety. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is also another type of anxiety disorder that could arise as a result of an unstable mind.    Insomnia One of the funny things about insomnia on this list is the fact that it is a cause, and it is also an effect of unbalanced mind. It is a case of lack of sleep that causes the mind to be unbalanced, and a person with an unbalanced mind will, in turn, find sleep hard to come by. Although, it is a straight forward principle; if a person makes it a habit to sleep 1 am daily probably because of work and does that for a few weeks. The body will get adjusted to sleeping by 1 am so much that it might get to a stage where the person wants to go to bed by 11 pm but won't find sleep until it is 1 am. That's, is the simple part, but how does an unbalanced mind cause lack of sleep? Well, an unbalanced mind can ensure that brain cells are not receiving the adequate nutrients it needs, it could also mean fewer neurons are produced, and these distort the brain and a person's sleeping pattern. When you have a lot on your mind, it could also keep the mind active at night when it is supposed to be relaxed, making it difficult for you to fall asleep at night. A balanced mind would rather keep your brain relaxed and help you to sleep better.   CONCLUSION Lots of suffering have characterized the journey of so many people. Hence, it has distorted the natural state of joy and peace that their human mind craves and enjoys to have. It's understandable that life is not a bed of roses, and some forms of delayed gratification can be likened to suffering, making it look like it is good for us. However, the mind is not made for pain, and as such, it becomes essential for us to recreate the natural state of mind. It should be in a state of bliss and joy, even in the face of suffering. Dear reader, so far in this book, I've shown you how to maintain a balanced and healthy mind, but there's one major hindrance to achieving that, and that's YOU. Yes, you! You're the only reason you'll never have a healthy and balanced mind, and you still remain the sole reason you should have a healthy, happy, and balanced mind because you deserve it. As I close this book, I leave you with this - a wise man once said, 'there's joy on the inside.' It's your duty to pick up your hoe and cutlass, get down there, dig out the joy and bliss and live it! A healthy and balanced mind is a healthy lifestyle.