This New Poem Is Scientifically Designed To Lift Your Spirits. Does It Work?

If you're looking for a pick-me-up this week, maybe this is the thing for you. The shoe company Asics recently collaborated with famed poet Charly Cox to scientifically engineer a poem designed to improve your mood and encourage physical activity.

The spoken word poem, 'Nothing Feels Better' has been dubbed on Asics' website as "a poem to move minds." Penned by poet and mental health advocate Charly Cox, the piece is an amalgamation of submissions from people sharing the things that inspire them to get active.

Asics also recruited the help of DJ Auntie Flo to create a soothing instrumental track to accompany Cox's poem. The music is set at 111 hertz frequency, which is supposed to elevate one's mood and create a relaxing atmosphere.

Here is the final result. See for yourself if the poem really does have a calming, encouraging effect on you:

I won't lie, I kinda want to go run a 5K now. Who's with me?!

In all seriousness, I do think the poem is as poignant as it is succinct, with many uplifting quotes packed into such a short piece. I'm a particular fan of the line, "being human is tough. I need time to show myself some love."

But the line that hit me hardest was, "I am the crowd of my mind's elation."

The subject matter of the poem is something that its writer can personally relate to. According to StudyFinds, Cox provided some insight into her own mental health journey, as well as her hopes for what her latest poem will accomplish for others.

"Gentle movement has helped stave off some of my worst episodes," says Cox. "I really hope this track inspires people to just try. When life feels like a marathon, what’s the point in sprinting? Find pride and joy in moving to feel better, not to be better."

This is an important message this time of year in particular, when Seasonal Affective Disorder is at its most prevalent. The poem is available for streaming if you'd like to keep it close by in times of struggle.

For more resources in caring for your mental health, click here.

There are many life lessons to be taken from coaching youth sports. Sometimes, they can be the same lessons your little players are also learning. Perhaps as an adult, you are simply learning these lessons again. Or you may just be interpreting them through a different lens.

This is the first memory I have as a kid playing basketball. It's a sentence I will never forget. My coach was a former standout at the University of South Carolina. He treated us as if he was the actual Division One South Carolina coach, and we were his 5-star recruit players about to enter March Madness. We were ten years old. It sounds intense, I understand, but herein lies the first rule of coaching youth sports. There are some values that are non-negotiable.

When you break it down, these values are all centered around respect. Respect for yourself and those around you. Respect becomes a way of life. It's how an athlete carries themselves and how they approach the game. Therefore, it's important as a coach to ask yourself if respect is present in the environment you and your team are creating. It has a way of applying to everything while also being an evolving process.

Speaking of which, more often than not, youth coaches are volunteers. This means that they are not paid. Sometimes, they never even played the sport they are coaching. However, they care enough to dedicate their time and attention to help make the sporting experience memorable for the youth program. So keep that in mind and cut them some slack. This is true of referees and umpires, as well.

Coaching youth sports can be a year-round commitment. We often end one season and immediately transition to the next sport. Here are five life lessons learned from coaching youth sports.

There’s no better feeling than working tirelessly for something you really want, and then accomplishing it. Especially if you are an underdog. You learn to enjoy the struggle. It makes the reward that much sweeter. The most valuable lesson from this piece is that once you dedicate yourself to putting in whatever it takes, this becomes a mindset. No win comes for free. You aren't entitled to playing time. Both of those must be earned. There's nothing wrong with reminding yourself of that while preaching to your kids about how to get playing time.

Your definition of exercise might be a sweaty cardio workout in the gym. But as a coach, exercise has a broad meaning. Certainly, getting yourself outside with a team and teaching them the importance of stretching and preparing your body is essential to physical success. Coaching a sport like football, for example, your two hours a day on the field are laser-focused on just that. There, you are giving yourself some mental exercise, taking a break from all the other work, stress, or life-circumstances. You can forget everything else when you hit the field, court, or rink.

Whether you manage a soccer team or a sales team, you're leading a collection of individuals. What makes your top performer tick is not the same as what makes a lesser player (or employee) with potential, tick. This lesson centers around relationship-building and listening. How you run your team is about you, and how your players apply these guidelines is about them.

...Nor are they getting a full scholarship offer to a top NCAA college at this age. You may see things in your kid or another on the team where your experience makes you think a certain player has a shot at the big time. But that time is not right now. Your coaching duty is to give the best experience possible to your players. How does creating an entire game plan around one super-talented 10-year old give the other 20 kids a fair chance? How does it give them a memorable experience? Or something to build off for next year. Or confidence. Again, those refereeing your games are most likely high school or college kids themselves. They're just trying to work and earn some money. Again, cut them some slack.

Your tone in addressing your players, the refs, and the other team matters, too. Be cognizant of how you deliver your messages. You may have an incredibly impactful point to make, but if you don't articulate it correctly, and cater to your audience, it can be useless. Coaching youth sports is about the overall experience, not the final score, and not the final record. Your stats don't matter, your voice does.