We’re all about lifestyle and wellbeing here at Subaru, and mental health is an important part of that. Put simply, wellbeing is about how we feel, and how we function day-to-day.
Life is full of challenges, and good wellbeing doesn’t happen by accident, it needs nurturing and protecting so it helps to have a set of tools on hand to positively impact our wellbeing so we can live our best and most fulfilling lives.
We asked Subaru Ambassador Art Green what tools are in his Mental Health Toolbox and here's what he had to say:
Exercise - Every day. I use this as a mood booster and as a stress relief and so I try to do some form of movement every day, even a 15-minute walk is better than nothing.
Good food - I minimise my intake of refined grains and sugar everyday as I know these make me tired, and whenever I feel tired, I'm more likely to be grumpy and have a negative mindset.
Cold water - Every day I start my day with either a 2-minute cold shower or an ice bath. I focus on controlling my breath and staying relaxed.
Exposing yourself to the cold can help to promote emotional resilience, reduce stress, and has a bunch of physical benefits too - but most importantly it makes me feel awesome! If you're keen to give it a go you can start by turning your shower too cold for the last 30-seconds of your normal warm shower, and slowly build up to being able to jump straight into a cold shower.
Breathing - a couple of mornings a week (usually before meditating) or when I’m feeling stressed during the day I practice Wim Hof breathing to recenter and reset my over thinking mind.
You can use the official Wim Hof app that teaches you how to perform this breathing technique or find a Wim Hof Breathwork workshop to attend.
Nature - As often as I can, I get out in nature. Starting the day with a walk (leaving my phone at home) always sets me up for a great day.
Talk to someone - I have a couple of people in my life that I know I can always call to talk about anything and everything. Sometimes I don’t feel like talking but 100% of the time I’m glad I did.
Meditation - I wish I could say that I meditate every day, and I have gone through periods of time where I have consistently meditated once or twice a day, but at the moment I'd say I only meditate 3-4 times a week. I find that after I've been meditating consistently for a period of time I find that I have a decrease in stress and anxiety during the day and increases in my empathy and patience. Most importantly for me I find that I am able to be more present at moments during the day, like when I'm spending time with my kids, and these moments of pure presence are my happiest.
There are a bunch of great apps out there that can help you get into meditating, some that I've tried are: One Giant Mind, Calm, Headspace. I have also completed meditation courses that I have found hugely beneficial including: Vedic Meditation by Georgia Vavasour Buddhist Meditation, Loving kindness meditation at the Auckland Buddhist Centre, SKY Breathing and Sudarshan Kriya through the Art of Living Foundation.
Practice gratitude - I don’t do this enough, but I know it can really help to just sit and think of anything and everything you’re grateful for, it's great to write it down also. I find it is impossible to feel anxious or fearful when feeling grateful.
Find out more about Art Green and his mental health journey by following him on Instagram. He currently drives a Subaru Outback X which is the perfect SUV for his lifestyle.