THE GUT HEALTH AND WELL-BEING CONNECTION. IS YOUR DIET BRINGING YOU DOWN?

By Andrea Hunsaker

Good food is the foundation of genuine happiness.

— Auguste Escoffier

With the end of the pandemic in sight, we are collectively crawling out of our bunkers in our forgiving elastic-waisted sweatpants and blinking into the sun. We all had our coping strategies over the past year. One of mine was that seducing siren tonic—sugar, in all its forms. Normally, sans outbreak, I am a respectably healthy eater who takes secret pleasure in the sound of my family’s complaints when I serve quinoa and kale, but those habits have slipped this past year. It happened to the best of us. Even Dr. Warren admitted to eating 42 McDonald’s bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits in one month. (Do the math for that one)! One large survey from a COVID-19 symptom study found an increase in snacking and an average gain of 7 pounds during the lockdown. So, we coped by eating junk food because we were a bit—or a lot—anxious and depressed. …Or, was it also the other way around? What if the junk food contributed to our blues? 

I’ve always suspected my stomach had a mind of its own, but recent research on the gut-brain connection brings our understanding of the power of our bellies over our mental health to a profound new level. The gut has been named the “second brain” because it contains 100 million neurons which communicate with the brain in our head through the vagus nerve and produces many of the same neurotransmitters (like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA), all of which play important roles in mood regulation. In fact, it is estimated that the bacteria in the gut produce 95% of the body's supply of serotonin. It is now thought that trouble in the microbiome of the gut may contribute to an array of diseases such as depression, anxiety, memory loss, hypertension, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. People with chronic GI disorders such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have much higher than normal odds of also suffering from anxiety and depression. 

Dr. Leslie Korn, an expert in mental health nutrition, and author of Eat Right, Feel Right declares, “There is no doubt that nutrition affects mental health. Poor nutrition leads to and exacerbates mental illness. Optimal nutrition prevents and treats mental illness.” Observational studies support her assertion; for example, one study found that adhering to a traditional Mediterranean and anti-inflammatory diet offers some protection against depression (Lassale et al., 2019). Additionally, studies where participants ate more fruits and vegetables reported increased life satisfaction, happiness, vitality, flourishing, and well-being (Blanchflower et al., 2013; Conner et al., 2017). This is great news, because this is something we can control. Along with exercise, gratitude, and the other strategies you’ll find on this website, nutrition is a strategy fully within our power to lead to a better life.

Korn refers to the digestive system as a garden that requires a variety of the right amounts of different elements for proper function. Here are some of her suggestions:

Eat More… 

• Soluble fiber (oat bran, nuts, beans, lentils, peas, chia seeds, barley, and some fruits and vegetables) and insoluble fiber (wheat bran, corn, whole grains, oat bran, seeds, nuts, brown rice, axseed, and the skins of many fruits and vegetables). Fiber increases the feeling of fullness, slows down the absorption of glucose, and absorbs water like a sponge to help push materials through the digestive tract. The Standard American Diet (which makes us SAD) is notoriously low in fiber. Women should aim for 25 and men 36 grams of fiber per day. Korn refers to fiber as the ‘soil’ for the microbiome garden which allows healthy bacteria to grow.

• Prebiotics (onions, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, asparagus, wheat, beans, bananas, agave, dandelion, chicory root, and chia). These support the good bacteria that live in the colon.

• Probiotics or fermented foods (sauerkraut, kefer, kombucha, kimchi, miso, microalgaes, brewer’s yeast, yogurt and cheeses with live cultures, and probiotic supplements). There are 400-500 different kinds of beneficial live microorganisms that inhabit the intestines and are responsible for transforming food particles into chemical messengers that support our emotional and cognitive life.

• Anti-inflammatory foods (berries, fatty fish, broccoli, avocados, green tea, peppers, mushrooms, grapes, turmeric, extra virgin olive oil, dark chocolate and cocoa, cherries, and tomatoes). These foods are the colors of the rainbow and support mental health.

• Natural saturated fats (butter, coconut, tallow,  and animal fats) polyunsaturated fats (soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel, and sardines), and monounsaturated fats (avocado, olives, olive oil, and tree nuts) all support brain health.

Eat Less…

• Sugar and refined carbohydrates (desserts, soda, energy drinks, white bread, pasta, white rice, crackers, flour tortillas, and biscuits). These foods cause unhealthful, inflammation-boosting changes to gut bacteria. Inflammation has been observed to contribute to the development of a wide range of psychiatric conditions (Pariante, 2018). 

• Trans fats (commercially processed foods, crackers, chips, salad dressings, shortening, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, margarine). Even limited amounts of trans fats have been found to disrupt the body’s ability to use essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are necessary for brain health and as a protection against mental illness.

• Processed meats (bacon, beef jerky, salami, hot dogs). Chemicals used to cure these meats (nitrates) have been connected to psychiatric disorders (Khambadkone et al., 2020).

With the knowledge of just how much food affects mood, I now have a new weapon in my “fueling the family” arsenal. The other night when attempting to serve sardines, I promised, “It will protect you against depression!” To which my teenager responded, “If you make me eat that, I will be depressed.” Resistant teenagers aside, Korn acknowledges that making long-lasting dietary changes doesn’t come easy. She suggests finding substitutes for the things you love - like switching out some white sugar with honey or stevia, or a traditional hot dog for an organic replacement. You might try an experiment for a few weeks and notice what happens. A review of our module on personal growth and achieving goals might also help to convert the resistant teenager within. As for me, I’ll deliberate a little longer before my next donut.

“I guarantee you, if you improve your food, you will improve your mental health.

— Leslie Korn, PhD

Call it a gut feeling, but I suspect she’s right.

For a deeper dive into this subject, try these sources:

https://www.healthline.com/health/best-diets-for-mental-health

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312158346_The_Second_Brain_Trust_your_Gut

https://psychscenehub.com/psychinsights/the-simplified-guide-to-the-gut-brain-axis/

REFERENCES

Blanchflower, D., Oswald, A., & Stewart-Brown, S. (2013). Is psychological well-being linked to the consumption of fruit and vegetables? Social Indicators Research, 114(3), 785–801. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-012-0173-y. 

Conner, T. S., Brookie, K. L., Carr, A. C., Mainvil, L. A., & Vissers, M. C. (2017). Let them eat fruit! The effect of fruit and vegetable consumption on psychological well-being in young adults: A randomized controlled trial. PLoS One, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0171206. 

Lassale, C., Batty, G. D., Baghdadli, A., Jacka, F., Sánchez-Villegas, A., Kivimäki, M., & Akbaraly, T. (2019). Healthy dietary indices and risk of depressive outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Molecular Psychiatry, 24(7), 965–986. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-018-0237-8

Pariante, C. (2018). Why are depressed patients inflamed? A new path to personalized treatment in psychiatry, Psychiatric Times, 35(5). https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/why-are-depressed-patients-inflamed-new-path-personalized-treatment-psychiatry. 

Khambadkone, S. G., Cordner, Z. A., Dickerson, F., Severance, E. G., Prandovszky, E., Pletnikov, M., ... & Yolken, R. H. (2020). Nitrated meat products are associated with mania in humans and altered behavior and brain gene expression in rats. Molecular psychiatry, 25(3), 560-571. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-018-0105-6. 

Befriending Anxiety

“One is a great deal less anxious if one feels perfectly free to be anxious”

— Alan Watts

The Biodome Experiment

A scientist once wondered what would happen if we could live in a perfect environment. So they built a huge glass dome in the desert, ideal for life, with purified air and water, just the right amount of sunlight, fertile soil - everything a human and plant would need to thrive. For months at a time people lived inside the biodome. It seemed to be going great until, after the trees reached a certain height, they inexplicably fell over. The scientists discovered the trees needed strong wind in order for the heart wood to become sturdy and the root system to grow deep enough to support a healthy tree. The experiment was concluded early.

Changing Your Relationship with Anxiety

Chronic stress, Anxiety, burnout - these have been buzzwords the past couple years and much of the advice out there focuses on how to get rid of them. Personally, the last few years of grad school and starting a counseling career on top of the rest of my full life felt like a hurricane, and sometimes I would have liked nothing more than to go find the biodome and move in. (The dome’s got to still be out there somewhere; if anyone stumbles across it please send the coordinates). I tried avoiding, resisting, escaping, distracting, procrastinating - these didn't work for long, and often made things worse. And so I was down to the last resort, this counter intuitive, radical approach of not trying to make it go away - befriending the anxiety. 

Dennis Merritt Jones said it beautifully, “Watch how a tree bends and sways gracefully when the wind blows against it. It does not stand rigid, resisting the flow of energy. It does not push back. The tree accepts the strong wind as a blessing that helps it grow.”

The truth is that stress itself isn’t harmful - it’s the belief that stress is bad for you. One study found that people had a 43% increased risk of dying if they experienced a lot of stress and believed it was harmful, but those who reported having stress, but not viewing it as harmful were the least likely to die. The increased risk of death was not from the stress, but the belief that it was bad (Keller et al., 2012). Let that sink in. (And now are you stressed about your opinion of stress?) And that’s the tricky part - How can a person change their perception that an uncomfortable nervousness and racing heart and mind is a good - or at least neutral - thing? 

Approaching Anxiety with Non-Judgemental Mindfulness

Fear is a natural and useful human emotion, yet we are socialized to feel flawed and weak if we experience it. We criticize ourselves when we feel fear and anxiety, and it’s the criticism, not the fear, that hurts us. In the thick of grad school, I used to walk through the grocery store trying to fill my cart with a balance of low maintenance and healthy, and notice my heart racing as my mind ruminated on my long list of the undone. But it wasn't the increased heart rate that bothered me (my heart beats fast when I’m out for a run, dancing with abandon, or when my husband smiles at me), it was my self judgements, “What’s wrong with me? I shouldn’t be like this. I don’t want to feel this way.” When I became mindful of the physical sensations of anxiety without judgment, I could welcome them, become curious about what was happening in my body and mind and accept my experience as part of a full life. Try experimenting with words or phrases like, “Welcome. Yes. This belongs. May I accept all my experience. And.”

The word “And” reminds me that I can do what I value and feel anxiety. Sometimes we have to be willing to feel discomfort if it means moving toward a future that we want. One of the tolls of anxiety is that it keeps us from living a full life as we try to avoid those situations that provoke it. It took me months to write this post! I was avoiding writing one because, what if it was bad? (I was too anxious to write a blog post about anxiety. Ah, the irony). I was thinking, "I want to do it but, I'm too stressed." However, I value spreading this knowledge more than feeling comfortable all the time, so I breathed acceptance and compassion into my discomfort and told myself, “I want to write a blog post and I’m stressed about it." And here we are.

A strong body of evidence supports meditation for reducing stress and anxiety (Goyal et al., 2014)...which is a bummer because I’m accepting my anxiety now and don’t mind if it hangs around or whatever. But here’s a meditation anyway by Dr. Jared Warren for accepting stressful emotions. I love this one and listen to it often: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goC-SGbFD_E

And here's a great book on meeting anxiety with mindfulness. (Again, not to make you go away, Anxiety. Feel free to put your feet up, we’re bff’s now). To reduce that extra layer of my resistance toward my guest:

The Mindful Way Through Anxiety, by Susan Orsillo and Lizabeth Roemer

And if you would like professional help dealing with anxiety, come see us at Epic Discoveries Counseling. May we gracefully bend with the wild wind of our stress and grow to consider it a friend. 

Be Well,

Andrea Hunsaker, LLPC

References

Keller, A., Litzelman, K., Wisk, L. E., Maddox, T., Cheng, E. R., Creswell, P. D., & Witt, W. P. (2012). Does the perception that stress affects health matter? The association with health and mortality. Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, 31(5), 677–684. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026743

Goyal M, Singh S, Sibinga EMS, et al (2014). Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Intern Med.174(3):357–368. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.13018

Checking Yourself Before wrecking yourself

““Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
-Leo Tolstoy”

As we enter the new year of 2021, I want to express my heartfelt condolences to all those who have lost a loved one, friend or family member during this tumultuous period in history. I again want to say thank you to all frontline workers including educators that contributes to serving the betterment of our children, the country and all humankind. Much love….

If you grew up in the 80’s and 90’s you most likely remember the rap song by Ice Cube, Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself. If you don’t, you may want to check yo-self. Not that the lyrics have any form of sense or insight, however, the beat is still one of the best. However, the title is profound on so many levels of our lives. It means; Consider the consequences of your actions before you end up in trouble. Hmm….How I wish I would have heeded the wise words of Ice Cube throughout my life.

Like most people 2020 challenged me in ways I could have never imagined, exhausting every part of my overall holistic health. The restrictions to Covid19, along with the social and political strains, unveiled and exacerbated areas of my conscience that had not been exercised, in some cases ever. I felt like a mental and emotional wreck at times. Over the past year I dug deep into my metacognitive skills in order to better understand my own thought process, and how this impacted my life and those around me. Simply put, I spent more time closely thinking about my thoughts. Here are a few things I discovered and put into action.

• I started journaling my present thoughts and feelings more consistently. Maybe not everyday, but frequently. I also started food journaling in order to become more aware of what I eat. We are what we eat. I know I want to feel better about myself than what I currently do. Nothing wrong with that.

• I wanted to change my physical health so rather than thinking about it, I actually got outside and started mountain biking and trail running more than I ever have in my life. I even reached out to buddies I’ve thought about contacting forever, inviting them to safely join me in these outdoor activities. I was able to reconnect with a couple friends I hadn’t seen in years.

• My wife and I are always trying to think of ways to fine tune our relationship, so my wife and I committed 30 straight days of marriage related information to read or watch together. Actually this was my wife’s brilliant idea. Although I didn’t think it would be as enjoyable as it was, I was wrong, and it did bring new insight and growth to our marriage.

• Part of my health goals was losing 20lbs in 2020. I actually gained 10lbs….Like I said above, I have tweaked my approach and attitude towards eating, just a bit. I am going to lose 21 in 2021. Don’t give up just because you don’t succeed at first. That’s what I have to keep telling myself.

• Up until this year, I’ve been “healthy enough” to avoid taking vitamins regularly or visiting the doctor consistently. Since Covid struck I’ve never been more consistent with my vitamin intake, and finally made it in for a physical with the doc. In getting “checked” my labs indicated that I was extremely deficient in vitamin D and B. Who knew? Evidently not me. Now I am on prescription strength vitamins.

  These are just a few areas in my life that I had to give a closer look at. Each of these areas gone unchecked, could have wrecked my life in one way or another. Another way of stating what Ice Cube so eloquently put it, check yourself in order to repair and build yourself while you are still alive. Of course it’s not as cool as Ice Cube puts it, and I don’t have a sweet beat either…..

  What are the areas of your life or lifestyle that needs to be checked? If you or someone you know could benefit from doing this difficult work, find a professional that is willing to join you in your Epic Discoveries.

““Truth is the ultimate power. When the truth comes around, all the lies have to run and hide.”

Ice Cube”

Hindsight in the Year 2020

When I was younger, I made some decisions that I shouldn't have. And, in hindsight, I've almost always been wrong when I haven't listened to myself.
-- Daniel Day-Lewis

I would find myself getting deeply distressed if I lived in hindsight all the time.
-- Andrew Lincoln

I will begin by stating the obvious; What a strange moment in history to be living in currently. Secondly, I want to begin by saying thank you to all of the educators in this country that are beginning this school year unlike any we’ve ever seen. Besides the challenge of teaching our youth, or educating individuals in college seeking professional development, they are also tasked with engaging with people’s lives that have been turned upside down by Covid19, racial unrest, political division, wild fires and other natural disasters. To put the cherry on top all sports have been impacted including Big Ten football. This really was the Wolverines year to beat the Buck-nuts in football…..Damn Corona!!

During this period it has been difficult for me at times to navigate everyday normal life without feeling the traumatic changes of our world. I keep wondering how we will look back on this year? What new insights will be revealed that we don’t yet know? It seems that so much has happened this year revealing so many more cracks within the infrastructure of our nations social norms, medical practices, political divisions, educational reform, and financial “stability.”

In my own personal processing I’ve been thinking about the phrase “Hindsight is 2020.” What is the significance of this phrase as we move closer to the end of 2020? This is a saying which means that “It's easy to know the right thing to do after something has happened, but it's hard to predict the future.” 20/20 means perfect vision. So when you put those together, "Hindsight is 20/20" means that you can easily tell what you should have done in the past, but it's harder to decide what to do in the future.

When people use this phrase, they usually want to express one of these ideas:

• You shouldn't worry about your past decisions, because you can't change them now.

• Don't criticize what I did, because I made the best decision I could at that time.

Reflecting back on our personal journey in 2020, what have you discovered about yourself thus far? Has their been progress in certain areas of your life, or do you feel like you’ve unintentionally tumbled down life’s mountain, like the picture above. Focusing on what we have control over, ourselves, give us the greatest opportunity to make change in our personal lives, and for the greater good of this world. I don’t mean just selfishly, more so selflessly for others.

Without possibly trying to wrap my mind around the complexities of our current existence, I have consciously committed to staying focused on being the best version of myself in all areas of my life that I have control over. One example that I can share that has been life changing in more than one way, yet seems so basic. After hearing a client tell me that he’s doing 100 push ups daily, and how awesome he felt, I felt inspired to do more in the physical area of my life. Since that day I have exceeded doing more than one hundred push ups, and I have to admit I feel accomplished in more than one way. This simple exercise does more than firm my flabby moobs, it works multiple muscle groups, get’s my heart pumping, including exercising the thought processes of my brain. These seconds of simple exercise helps me to reset my thinking in times of angst, helping to rewire my overall mindset. Many times we focus on stress or negative thought patterns that “somehow” (social media), creep into our daily existence unconsciously.

During this time I challenge all people to implement small actions that will keep your holistic health firing to it’s potential. Here are some examples:

• Daily intentional breathing. While you pray, meditate, or sit. Do the research on breathing into our masks (not good). Now is the time to take in more oxygen intentionally.

• Increase self awareness. When you identify what it is, change can happen.

• Drink more water. Not pop, not coffee, not beer or liquor. WATER.

• Boost your immune. Yes you can actually do that! It will mean removing and adding to your diet and lifestyle.

• Simplify your schedule. This is within the top 3 issues I see in clients of all ages today. I know from personal experience how difficult this is to do.

• Go outside. Vitamin D is another virus killer. That means minimizing TV, social media, video games.

• Give. Your time, resources, compliments. Unsolicited acts of giving always return somehow.

For me it’s evident. Back to the basics. I’d hate to look back on this year and say “in hindsight, I should have done more.” If you or a loved one can use assistance in discovering what it looks like “doing more,” or like to process all of “the more” in your life, reach out to someone that will listen and hopefully guide you towards epic discovery in 2020.

Is Ignorance Bliss?

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

”

— Martin Luther King

I want to begin by saying thank you to all of the frontline workers that continue to serve our communities world wide.  To the many people, family and friends in law enforcement and military service that represent what’s right and just in our world, to wake up everyday and put their lives on the line to serve us.  I am continually amazed to hear about the amazing ways people are selflessly giving of themselves and resources for the betterment of our communities and country.  Thank you again.

In this month’s blog post I feel compelled to discuss the topic of racism, not only because of the recent happenings surrounding the senseless acts and murders this year. Racial injustice has existed for many people their whole life stemming back generations for hundreds of years. The ignorance of racism has been woven into our daily lives, self narratives, interactions, religious, political, social, and relational experiences.  In processing these difficult and complex themes that play out in each of our lives, what role do we play and how do we move forward after this current season of our life?

I believe change begins with identifying our own personal ignorance.  Nobody wants to ever be considered ignorant.  However, to believe that ignorance doesn’t exist in each of our lives is ignorance in itself.  Ignorance is defined as a lack of information and knowledge.  In that regard, I admit that I am just plain ignorant to most things in life…as my wife nods her head.

So what does the saying “Ignorance is Bliss” mean?  If you do not know about something, you do not worry about it.  Now let’s look at the word bliss:  To reach a state of perfect happiness, typically so as to be oblivious of everything else.  What’s happened yet again with the racial tension within our nation and local communities is just a manifestation of this form of blissful ignorance that has existed for so long within groups of people that are not directly impacted. Change cannot occur when we believe that the issue of racism does not involve each and everyone of us.

In my observation and life experience of being a person of color, many people exist in this category when it comes to racism in America.  People know racism exists all around us, but prefer to preserve their happiness or way of life by avoiding or ignoring the difficult existence of others. I am not trying to be a buzz kill towards prosperity and enjoying our freedoms, but rather trying to be instrumental in inspiring others to approach this topic in a safe place to explore, regardless of race or life experiences. The challenges for all White, Black, Asian, Latino humans are; How can we approach these complex realities that have existed forever with sensitivity for all, regardless of color in order to begin the process of healing and renewing our humanity?  Answers anyone?

To me, the answer is not to continue to cast blame or shame.  In my own research and education on this topic, here’s some of the best thoughts and advice I have come across from one of LA’s foremost black leaders, Reverend Michael Beckwith, interviewed by Lewis Howe:  

• Let’s NOT go back to normal

• Let’s change the status quo of our society

• Sacrifice comfort.  The enemy lies in the comfort zone

• Do the deep work of self reflection

• Help to change the underlying narrative of our nation’s consciousness

• Everyone can do something, don’t do nothing!

• Change will occur with intentional love, not new laws

To hear the full interview of this excellent insight and conversation, I’ve posted the link Here. 

If you are struggling during this tumultuous time in our history, find someone trained that you can speak with that will provide a safe space to process whatever your narrative may be.  I believe true happiness comes from uncovering the veil of ignorance, in the difficult journey towards epic discoveries and enlightenment.   

““Now, if you’re walking in the direction of greatness, walking in the direction of excellence, you’re going to be uncomfortable. … If we’re going to dismantle racism, it’s going to be uncomfortable.”

”

— Lewis Howe

Redemption & the WOW Legacy

The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but building the new. —Socrates

Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you. —Shannon Adler

January 26th, 2020 will be remembered in the lives of millions of people worldwide. The death of Kobe Bryant hit me hard as it shocked so many people within and outside of the basketball world. As a life long Lakers fan, to watch Kobe’s basketball career was such a gift in art and entertainment. But to watch Kobe mature not just as a sports icon, but as a hu-man, as a husband, and as a father is what made Kobe’s journey transcend all others.

The truth is that Kobe wasn’t flawless, even on the basketball court. He made decisions in his younger adult life that hurt people off the court. The trauma for the victim of his sexual assault, the mental and emotional pain this caused his wife and family, and the personal shame this would cause anyone that has true remorse in their soul. I remember this time in his career well, feeling a mixed bag of emotions towards Kobe. I loved him as a basketball hero, and was saddened by the mistake of his actions.

This is what writer Roxanne Gay had to say regarding the “complications” some may have felt towards Kobe even to this day. Roxanne is also a survivor of sexual violence.

We do not know how to create space for complex realities where people can do both great and terrible things. We do not know how to create space for redemption. We simply lack the capacity to have nuanced, uncomfortable discussions about the fact that sometimes people we admire do terrible things and that we can acknowledge both their greatest accomplishments as well as their worst moments.  I believe the first and last person who should have a say on the matter of Bryant’s redemption is his once victim. I find myself trying to understand the intensity of this public mourning, and to extend empathy to someone to whom I would rather not. And yet, I’m not worried that I felt sadness about his death. I would be worried if I didn’t.

What a powerful and interesting perspective. She’s right, the only people that can extend true atonement for his mistake is the actual victims that were directly impacted. It’s so easy to fall into the pits of blame, shame, guilt, and depression based off of the mistakes of our past. These thoughts and emotions can keep us from true redemption, and help to bury the legacy of our memory once we leave this world.

Kobe seemed to have found the answer that helped him to transcend beyond this pit that many cannot climb out of. Roxanne Gay reminds us,

He regained his reputation, he continued playing basketball and accumulating wealth. He retired in glory and during his retirement he even won an Oscar and was working on an inspirational children’s book. He and his wife continued their philanthropic efforts. He created the Mamba Sports Academy. He coached his daughter’s basketball team. He was an attentive and present father. 

Part of Kobe’s legacy is what he called “The Mamba Mindset.” This mindset is what kept Kobe focused on change and improvement in all areas of his life, through his personal trials and tribulations to a place of love, outreach and peace. In an interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts, she asked Kobe one word to describe his legacy. Kobe’s answer; “WOW!”

I believe we can all live a life worth our own WOW perspective. That is the challenge we are all faced with.  In what ways can we identify and change the mindset that may be keeping us from reaching a legacy worthy of WOW.

If you or someone you know is seeking or trying to understand the emotional complications behind redemption, here at Epic Discoveries we would be honored to begin the difficult, sometimes uncomfortable discussions that lead towards self discovery and transformation.

To all the victims of this tragedy, Rest In Peace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsQVcNM7PMw