By Alex Bruce/Special to The News
As we approach various observances for many different religions, it’s a perfect time to share that leading neuroscientists assert that the healthiest thing we can do for our brains is to have faith.
In fact, it doesn’t need to be religious, it just needs to be positively-based.
Whether you believe in a loving God or Gods, or you believe in fate, or in the universe, or spirit, or karma, or that everything happens for a reason, a faith – any faith – that is positive is the #1 thing you can do to keep your brain and the brains of children healthy.
How wonderful that we can see the benefit of believing in something.
At this point, it doesn’t matter if he’s “right,” if she’s “right,” or if they’re “right.”
We’re all right when we keep the faith.
There is no need to judge what type of faith we each have; positive faith is positive faith.
There are so many things on this planet that we share.
One of those things is likely the thought that although something terrible in our life has occurred in the past, it worked out later to actually being a blessing in disguise.
In fact, for so many of us, if we could have known then what we know now about said terrible event (whatever it was), we would go through it again by choice.
Look at what can happen here.
Nature is forcing us to be at home more.
We are already seeing the positive impacts that fewer cars and less pollution are having on the planet, including significantly improved air quality and cleaner water sources.
What amazing steps will we take as a species from these learnings?
How many companies and individuals will make changes after this has passed to continue to positively impact the air quality for everyone who is alive today, and everyone that will be here for generations to come?
See the truth in the fact that we are working together in planetary unison to find an answer to this problem.
What tracks are we laying to introduce conciliatory communication for the rest of our stay on this planet?
We have all intrinsically known that we are all connected and now we are getting to see how true this is in real time.
One sick person affects the whole world.
We are not individuals. We are all interconnected – when one is sick, we are all sick.
The other side of that coin is that when one thrives, we can all thrive.
Keep the faith that although this hurts us all right now, just as a vaccine shot hurts, it will help us to become stronger in the future.
Whatever your faith is, now, more than ever before, is the time to keep it.
.
• Join us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MapleRidgeNews/ and post your pictures depicting yourself or others are Taking a deep breath. Share your creativity during these times and be sure to include names, ages, and details for an opportunity to be highlighted in a future article.
.
FIRST COLUMN: Maple Ridge woman offers series of wellness tips amid COVID crisis
SECOND: We mammals are in this together and will thrive together
THIRD: Trying something new can help
FOURTH: Celebrating inclusion in team humanity
FIFTH: Learning to learn at home
SIXTH: Take good care of yourself, so you can care for others
SEVENTH: Important to move your butt
EIGHTH: Join together in sharing gratitude for Canadians
NINTH: Ponder a mini vacation and make the best of what’s happening
TENTH: Taking time to focus on the good in your world
.
– Alex Bruce is a health and wellness author and accredited meditation and mindfulness instructor, and this is excerpt from her: “Let’s Be Calm: The Mental Health Handbook for Surviving and Thriving Through Pandemic”
.
• Stay tuned tomorrow for the next COVID-19: In It Together column
.
• If there is more to this column, please let us know about it. Email us at editor@mapleridgenews.com. We look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
