Prioritizing your Physical and Mental Health
Words by, Igee Okafor
Photography by, Marcus Richardson
The month of November yields a lot of trends and holiday-decorating activities, but the most important label for the month of November has been the “Movember” movement. Movember is a social initiative to get people talking more about men’s health, specifically prostate and testicular cancer, mental health, and suicide prevention: learn more about it here. Men’s emotions tend to be overlooked, and although a person may seem physically well, their brain need just as much care as their body. Movember has a theme for all men to grow a mustache, to create a pact within the men’s community and start a conversation about difficult topics, through curly and fun facial hair. There are other ways to contribute to the cause, but simply spreading awareness through social media with your new ‘stache can make a difference.
Along with the facial hair, there are countless other ways to boost your “bros” for more than just the month of November, and it’s simply promoting positive physical and mental well being, and being proactive about taking care of your mind and body. There are a few ways to incorporate a new and healthy lifestyle, without breaking the bank, or changing too much of your schedule.
1. Hit the gym
The gym is the greatest way to relieve stress and spend time with friends in your otherwise busy day. Going to the gym is much more than losing weight, or getting fit. Going to the gym can become a hobby, and a lifestyle for you. It’s understandable that it’s not everyone’s interest to spend the free time you have after work, essentially continuing to work (just sweating more). Look up your local gyms different classes, and personal training options. Sometimes getting involved in group activities can help you meet with like minded individuals, for a fraction of the time you would normally spend just wandering the gym. Classes are often an hour long, with different themes geared toward what you feel you enjoy the most. There’s weightlifting, high intensity interval training, yoga, pilates, crossfit, the list is endless! According to BeatCancer.org, one of the many ways to help fight testicular cancer from forming is to engage in regular exercise, so grab some friends and hit the weight room! Encouraging each other to circulate your body, and possibly meet new people will strengthen your muscles, and your mind.
2. Self-Care
Everyone tends to forget this step in the midst of a crazy holiday season. We do a great job buying presents for others and making sure they are comfortable and fed for the holidays, but we rarely put an emphasis on the same care for ourselves. Simple tasks like washing your face before bed, and putting lotion on after the shower to protect your skin from the brisk air will make you feel fresh and prepared for the day. Your self-care can even go as far as getting a biweekly MANicure -- fresh nails are for everyone! You can carve out time for what your body needs most. Often times we let things like hair, and skin go just simply because we don’t have time to treat the symptoms. There are many tips and tricks to regaining your lovely locks, check out the best hair care remedies for your body renewal experience. Along with your physical attributes, see your various doctors regularly if you can’t invest the time in washing your face every day. This includes your usual physician, a therapist, a dermatologist, the dentist, and anyone else in your life that allows you to understand more about your health, and how to fix any emotional or physical obstacles. This will help to detect early signs of things like testicular cancer, or depression, and can be treated with urgency as they tend to worsen over time.
3. Develop a style
If you’ve been feeling like you’re stuck in a rut lately, sometimes all you need to do is find a style for yourself, something that makes you unique and reflects who you are on the inside. There's many trends out lately to follow, and sometimes picking an icon you enjoy whether it be music, or acting will help to guide your style in the right direction. From jersey collections, to a cool shoe assemblage you can create a persona that matches your internal feelings and give you the confidence and excitement to get dressed in the morning.
From using a gym membership, to washing your face, to creating a new and improved style, you’ll be an icon for both men and women to show that you care about how you are feeling, and are constantly looking to improve your state of being. Protecting your friends and family from developing illnesses and raising awareness for serious mental health and cancerous obstacles is the best way to spend Movember, and the rest of your life! Take to social media to share your new sense of wellbeing and inform the public to do the same, and we can all work toward making the world a happier and healthier place to live in.
Thank you for reading!