“If you would protect your body, guard your mind. If you would renew your body, beautify your mind.” — James Allen
We spend a lot of time talking about protecting our bodies. We exercise to keep them strong. We try to eat better, drink enough water, get enough sleep, and avoid things that could negatively affect our health. But how much time do we spend thinking about what we allow into our minds?
When James Allen says, “guard your mind,” I don’t think he means that we should avoid every negative thought or pretend that problems don’t exist. Life happens. We get frustrated. We worry. People disappoint us. Things don’t always go according to plan. Having a bad day doesn’t mean you have an unhealthy mind.
Guarding your mind is about being careful with what you allow to stay there.
Think about how much information we consume every day. Social media, television, conversations, music, work, family, and the people around us are constantly giving our minds something to process. Then we add our own thoughts to the mix. We compare ourselves to other people. We replay arguments. We worry about things that haven’t happened yet. Sometimes we criticize ourselves in ways we would never speak to someone else.
All of that can become heavy.
Just as we pay attention to what we put into our bodies, we should pay attention to what we’re feeding our minds.
The second part of Allen’s statement may be even more important: “beautify your mind.” It isn’t enough to remove what is unhealthy. We need to replace it with something better.
Give your mind something good to work with. Learn something new. Spend time with people who encourage growth. Laugh. Get outside. Read. Create something. Practice gratitude. Give yourself time to rest. Find something that gives you purpose. And when life becomes difficult, remind yourself that one difficult moment doesn’t have to become your permanent state of mind.
None of this means that taking care of your mind will magically prevent illness or replace medical care. The body is complicated, and health is influenced by many different factors. But our mental well-being is still an important part of our overall health.
We work hard to protect our bodies from what can harm them. Maybe we should show our minds that same level of care.
Protect your body. Guard your mind. And don’t forget to give both something healthy to grow from.