Understanding your inner self is very important in self-development. If you are to be a better, well-rounded person, you have to understand the importance of your inner self. This is especially true of fiction writers, for this is where your characters come from. Your inner self is the source of your emotions, as well as subconscious decisions you might take for granted.

In our day-to-day lives, we experience all sorts of experiences, and these experiences shape how we are — be it in our inner self or the self we show to the world. At times, we do not even realize the effect that day-to-day experiences have on our inner self.

Take a daughter who is constantly being shouted at by her father, although she might be able to walk around with a broad smile, at times the shouting could have an adverse effect on the poor girl’s inner self. [Worse yet, it might even affect the expression of her very genetics, causing disease later in life.] Our inner self is the intimate part of our self; we keep it very guarded deep inside us.
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I’m not big on reality shows. In fact, I only give two a second look: Last Comic Standing, because I love stand-up comedy, and Dancing with the Stars, because I love dance.

But something else has occurred to me — both shows can have a positive impact on your body! Think about it a moment. Laughter is a good exercise for both body and mind. So watching Last Comic Standing can give you a mini workout if you think the jokes are funny. Some of those comedians have had me laughing so hard water was coming out of my eyes.
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Since this section of The Holistic Writer is all about the mind, I thought I’d cover some basics of mental health. A healthy mind is free to be a creative mind that supports your writing talent.

Definition

Mental health is defined as a state or condition on which an individual feels a sense of well-being. This gives him or her the capacity to live life in fulfillment of what he or she wants to achieve in accordance to the available resources. This condition also provides an individual the capacity to be resilient to the stresses he or she meets and to respond to these challenges without having to compromise his or her well-being. This also makes him or her productive and fruitful for him- or herself and the community.

Mental wellness could also be defined as the lack of mental problems or disorders. People who do not present diagnosable behaviors that could qualify as a mental disorder are seen as mentally healthy. For example, a man with an obsession on things may not necessarily have a mental disorder like obsession. Thus he is said to have mental wellness. But when this obsession is combined with an unrelenting compulsion to do the object of obsession, the person may be diagnosed with a mental disorder called Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or OCD.
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The act of giving your very best to the needy can likewise cultivate the best emotional satisfaction in your heart. It is a profound way to feed your spirit. Whatever form of help you extend, be it service or something of value, you will undoubtedly receive something better in return.

Is there anything better than a simple “thank you” that is meant with sincerity? Is there anything better than the appreciation that makes you feel needed and important? Is there anything better than to see smiles on other people’s faces for having made them feel equally important and cared for?

If your physical resources are limited, you can put your talent or creativity to work. You’re a writer, remember? You are naturally creative! Your urge to help those in need should inspire you to find ways in accumulating resources to actualize your intention. You can come up with ideas to generate more money through fund raising programs. You may also give more of your time doing volunteer service. You can use your writing talent to tell the stories that need to be told, but aren’t.
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If you’re anything like me, you keep a busy schedule. Ideas for new stories come at you from all directions — the news, the book you’re reading, your dreams, bits on conversations you over hear, etc. You do keep a note book with you at all times to jot this stuff down, right?

Anyway, the reason I mention all this is that being busy can prevent us from doing do diligence with our diet. We forgo prep time and grab something convenient, like a cookie or a burger. But this can be a slippery slope that not only takes away from your appearance (which can have far-reaching psychological effects), but it takes away your energy and, at least some of your health.
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