Article: There is a direct correlation between mental and physical health, and one will suffer if you neglect the other. Make sure you prioritize your body so that your brain is well equipped to handle stress and difficult or bad thoughts.   Exercise 3-5 times a week for at least 30 minutes. Eat a balanced diet and avoid junk foods. Hydrate with 6-8 full glasses of water each day. Get 6-8 hours of regular sleep each night. Shown time and time again to promote positive thinking and mental health, meditation is the process of clearing your mind and coming to peace with your thoughts. Find 10-15 minutes a day to sit quietly with your thoughts. Focus on your breathing and let your thoughts drift freely. As you progress you’ll find yourself taking more and more time to meditate, and your bad thoughts will start to slowly fade into the background. Most people feel bad thoughts creeping in when they imagine their future, creating stress and insecurity. Write down your goals, then break them up into small, manageable tasks you can tackle easily. Celebrate when you hit milestones, and always you’re your end goal in sight when things get tough.  For example, you might be worried about thoughts that you will never finish the novel you dream of writing. Instead of worrying, set aside 30 minutes a day to write. As you get more comfortable, make it 1 hour, then 2 hours until you have a few chapters to start editing. If you find that you can’t stick to the amount of time that you set, don’t get down on yourself. Simply adjust the timetable to make it work for you. Laughing away accidents and misfortune is one of the best ways to stay sharp and sane. Humor will “re-set” negative events in a positive manner, ending the stress and worry. Laughter will give you much needed perspective on your thoughts and make it easier to keep bad thoughts at bay.  Laugh at yourself too – you shouldn't take your life so seriously that you forget to enjoy it. Laughter is contagious, so join people who laugh a lot or tell jokes. If you gravitate towards people who like to laugh, you’ll find yourself laughing more as well. Just knowing that there is someone who you can be open and honest with can make bad thoughts seem much less daunting. Building trust with someone takes time, and you’ll need to be a little vulnerable sharing your concerns with another person, but having this bond will ultimately help you realize that you are not alone. You can deal with your bad thoughts when they appear, and there will be someone to help you. If you feel like you can’t share your thoughts with someone for whatever reason, consider making an appointment with a professional therapist. They are trained to listen well and help you work through your problems.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Take care of your body. Begin a meditation practice. Work towards long-term goals. Have a sense of humor when faced with hardship. Find a friend or family member that you can be honest with.