Keeping Your Rifts Heavy and Your Mind Clear

Keeping your Rifts Heavy and your Mind Clear: 10 Ideas to Keep your Head Metal and Sane

This weekend I was lucky enough to attend New York Comic Con. Among the many things I learned and saw this weekend the panel titled "The Non-Compliant Geeks Guide to Self Care" was one of the most inspiring.

The panel featuring speakers Vanessa East, Kris Anne Regeth, Steven Rehn, and Justine Mastin focused on how to care for yourself because you're worth it and not because of some article on US Weekly. How through comics, sci-fi, fantasy, and other mediums people can become happier with themselves.

Now this thought doesn't stop at geeks, it can apply to metal heads too (and geeky metal heads). Being the crazy, moshing, spin kicking rebels we are we can be at the forefront of society becoming less obsessed with waist size and more obsessed with important things that make us happy, like boss break downs and pizza.

Here are 10 things I got from the panel that I think might help make the day to day a little less crappy:

1. Embrace the weird in you
Let's face it, us geeks and metal heads are into some weird stuff compared to what society deems as normal. Dressing in all black or rewatching the best of Godzilla isn't exactly what every person does on the weekends. The second you let that get you down is when you stop letting yourself be happy. Stop letting people tell you you're different and embrace the fact that you're pretty fudging awesome.

2. Health isn't only about what you can see.
A lot of people like to narrow good health into this little box of physical needs, but that's not all it is. Health is also what's going on in your head and how you deal with it. Sure you should keep up with keeping yourself healthy because that will probably make you happier, but also make sure you're keeping your head on straight.

3. Separate the stuff in the magazine with reality.
Consumerism runs rapid in America these days. We base a lot more than we realize on what we see online, on TV, in magazines, etc. Stop trying to be what the media tells you to be and start being who you are in this reality.

4. Eat the darn cupcake.
Stop acting like it's some kind of reward to eat something or relax and then immediately feel guilty about it. the cupcake, watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer reruns this weekend, whatever it is that makes you happy just do it. Unless it's a cupcake from Poison Ivy it likely won't kill you.

5. Put your money where your heart is.
Think about what causes you to put your money towards something. If you don't agree with something, don't support that organization, or if you really like a company's message, buy stuff from them. It really makes you feel a whole lot better to be supporting stuff you care about rather than hate.

6. Find your "wellness" and do it the way you want to.
Whether it's doing yoga to Pig Destroyer or watching the new season of Bojack Horseman on the elliptical exercise the way you want to. If you don't like going to the gym, don't. If you hate running, don't. Exercise the way you want to, even if it's just taking a walk or throwing down in the pit.

7. Say no with a smile (or don't).
This was one point in the panel I was on the fence on. Basically, if you don't want to do something, don't and be honest about it. If you want to catch up on Spiderman comics, tell your friends you just want to stay in that night. However, you don't necessarily have to be nice or happy about it. If you feel like crap, say you feel like crap. Friends are there to have your back, and put paper in your nose when it bleeds at shows.

8. Listen to what you know makes you happy and not what everyone else/thing says makes you happy.
Now this is a tough one. When there are constant external influences, what can tell us what actually makes us happy or unhappy? I guess the best way to understand is to just think about it. Do I actually like hanging out with that guy? Is the new Harry Potter play actually worth reading? Or on the other hand, don't stop doing what you're doing because someone says so. Keep blasting the new Gojira even if your dad says its ear murder. At the end of the day to you it's basically an explosion of sweetness to your cochlea.

9. "A doughnut is not less moral than broccoli."
If you like broccoli, eat broccoli. If you like donuts, eat donuts. This goes back to the "don't feel guilty about dessert" point. There's nothing morally wrong with junk food and eating one doughnut or a scoop of ice cream won't kill you. Just don't eat donuts to the point your stomach hurts or if you don't want it. If you want a doughnut, eat it, simple.

10. Remember the children.
Now that you have a good idea of what may make you feel happier, don't forget about those youngsters. Kids are guided by whom they see, like parents or stuff on TV. Although we cannot control some of those factors, we can try to make it a better world for them as best we can. Stop telling kids to finish everything on their plates or telling them they can't eat certain things ever. Just guide what they eat and try to make it so they don't learn to feel bad about food.



Here's a link to the panel description that includes more information on panelists. Now go out and do what you want to do, or stay in and watch American Horror Story.

http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en/Sessions/31368/The-Non-Compliant-Geeks-Guide-to-Self-Care

Posted in: WSOU