All of us have times when we feel stressed or anxious and find it hard to cope with life’s ups and downs. But when we are mentally fit, we are better able to cope with difficult times in our personal and professional lives.
Building mental fitness is similar to building physical strength. Like a muscle, your mind needs training. By exercising your mind in a deliberate and regular way, you will build up your inner strength. This might take some practise at first but soon becomes second nature.
After more than twenty years as a wellbeing professional, I can truly say that mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness. And I don’t just talk about mental fitness, I do it!!!
I incorporate mental fitness into my daily routine. I work towards achieving my goals yet know when to have a break. I seek balance in everything I do - and I feel balanced, powerful, confident and grounded.
Here are 9 things I have learned about building mental fitness:
1. Develop mental strength over time - after all, “Rome wasn’t built in a day!”
Building mental fitness is a lifelong process, and it takes practise and patience. Simple, everyday actions can make a big difference to your wellbeing.
2. Take responsibility for your own actions, moods and feelings
Don’t blame others or circumstances for your problems. Try and acknowledge your own role in a situation and learn from it. A person with high mental fitness is self-aware, respectful, considerate and collaborative.
3. Don’t ignore your difficult emotions
You can’t feel happy all the time. Find ways to identify, express and deal with strong, unpleasant emotions appropriately. Allow yourself to feel sad, anxious, fearful or scared. Acknowledging how you feel can help you move forward.
4. Get out of your comfort zone
Challenges and discomfort make you more psychologically flexible and resilient. Don’t be afraid to try new things and put yourself in new situations. The hardest part is taking the first step so start small.
5. Engage in regular physical exercise
Exercising doesn’t need to be strenuous. You don’t have to run or go to the gym every day of the week. Try and stay active 4-5 times a week. Go for a walk, put on your dancing shoes, ride a bike, take the stairs instead of the escalator… there are so many ways to exercise. Some exercise, even if it's minimal, is better than none. And, of course, try to cut out junk food.
6. Have fun
Don’t forget to have some fun every day. It’s a great way to cultivate mental fitness. When you are having fun, you'll naturally feel happier. When is the last time you had fun?
7. Feel gratitude
Bringing gratitude into your life is not difficult. Pause to notice and appreciate the things you have in your life. Things you often take for granted. Pausing to appreciate something, especially when faced with a tough situation, gives you resilience to get through it. Ask yourself, “What am I grateful for?"
8. Never, ever give up
Don't let setbacks, negativity or other people's doubt bring you down. Yes, there is suffering, pain and disappointments in life but don’t let that discourage you. Would you give up on your spouse, your children or your family? I don’t think so. Then why would you give up on yourself?
9. Ask for help
Sometimes, you’ll go through really tough times and asking for help can be really hard. But it’s good to remember that you are not alone. We all go through tough times and seeking help is a sign of strength - not a weakness. Talking about your problems and sharing your fears and worries with someone can be profoundly healing.
As you can see, there are many things you can do to improve your mental fitness. Having a high level of mental fitness will serve you well in all areas of your life. Without it, you feel less motivated to take care of yourself.
So, are you ignoring your mental fitness?
Don’t wait until you are in full crisis mode - you need to be proactive about your mental fitness.
Would you like to learn more? Get in touch today.
Eila Mikkonen
Counsellor, Coach & Mental Fitness Facilitator