Managing your mental health, holistically

Arrow Optimize owner chats physical, mental health as we dive into winter months

Amy Wiezalis GUEST COLUMNIST

Life in our beautiful mountain town is not without its difficulties. The rise in mental illness in the U.S. is well documented, and to keep our community well we should focus on achieving true health, holistic fitness. 

This concept of holistic fitness is a global approach. It creates a path to health through practices that nurture mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. Separation of these facets is an illusion and approaching them together creates synergy. Exercising at the proper intensity can improve your sleep; better sleep helps regulate your nervous system; and a regulated nervous system improves relationships, which are a scientifically proven cornerstone of longevity. In line with the phenomenon of quantum entanglement, everything is connected.

Obsessed with introspection and a researcher by nature, I set out to understand how to ascend to my optimal self. The approach I take through my holistic fitness company, Arrow Optimize, is the culmination of this research, interpreted through the lens of an outdoor athlete.

Arrow Optimize specializes in creating personalized holistic fitness regimens. The approach explores the seam of ancient practices and nerdy science. Rooted in neuroscience, it’s a trauma-informed amalgamation of techniques ranging from High Intensity Interval Training workouts to free movement to quantum biohacking. The goal is to help people transform their lifestyles permanently, and to have fun doing it. 

Success looks different to everyone. There is no judgment regarding how deeply an individual would like to delve, and any step toward becoming the ideal version of yourself is a triumph. 

Initially, we start with the personal training basics, a quantitative exploration of the individual’s athletic and medical history. We uncover what they enjoy. We define goals and craft an initial functional fitness regime. 

If the client is open, we dig deeper. Together we zero in on habits, personality traits, sleep hygiene, communication and learning styles, core beliefs, and sources of stress. The first step on any healing journey is awareness. We draw surprising connections and aid the individual in constructing themselves a network of support. 

Arrow Optimize operates from a perspective of love. We exercise because we love our bodies, not because we hate them. We radically accept and forgive ourselves. We cultivate self-love despite our imperfections. We heal ourselves. We shirk fear and limiting beliefs. 

Believing in oneself is the most important piece to manifesting growth. Visualize what you want and live in the energy of achievement.

Quick holistic fitness tips to supercharge your life:

Incorporate laughter. Cultivating joy is the backbone of the Arrow Optimize approach. Laughing suppresses the activity of the stress hormones epinephrine and cortisol in your body. It affects dopamine and serotonin levels, which enhance feelings of pleasure and boost mood. Like exercise, laughter releases endorphins which can increase our pain tolerance and usher in euphoria. Next time you are “feeling the burn,” make yourself laugh. 

Shift your Mindset. Positive psychology has proven that happiness leads to success, not the opposite. We all have an inherited genetic set-point of happiness and research shows you can raise it by incorporating small practices over time. For example, spend two minutes daily praising or thanking someone. Pick a new person each day and see how you feel after a month. 

Create a quiver. The most effective fitness regime is the one you will do. To stay in shape physically, mentally, and emotionally, you need to regularly practice. It is imperative to understand what you enjoy, and why. Gather an array of workouts, varying in length and intensity. Include new modalities, such as foam rolling or breath work to broaden your fitness horizon. 

Consider your nervous system. Research shows that trauma stored in your body’s somatic memory creates a biological stress response. Everyday stress can also shift your nervous system into a sympathetic nervous state, known commonly as “fight or flight,” which is taxing on the body. When your nervous system has been dysregulated over the long term, intense exercise may not be the best choice. Somatic exercises, such as soft belly breathing, meditation, free movement, and stretching may be a better path.

Amy Wiezalis is the owner of Arrow Optimize. Information is the sharpest arrow in any quiver. To connect or dive deeper, tune in at arrowoptimize.com, where I will be releasing an array of articles on the science of feeling good, and optimizing your health.