3 Simple Steps to Kickstart your Mental Strengthening Journey
We often talk about the time and energy we spend in the gym working on our bodies and appearance. When it comes to our physical health, everyone wants to share how they are doing. For most of us, we want to take care of ourselves so we can remain healthy for our families. And so our older selves can continue living a physically healthy life long term.
But how many of us have the same thought process about our mental health?
Mental strengthening is just as important as physical health. Working out your mental muscles is something that can long-term support your overall health and happiness, and allow you to live your best life.
But how often do you actively work out in your mental gym? What does this mean to workout in a mental gym?
Your mental gym can be made up of many different things. Just like the physical gym, there is flexibility to how you can exercise each day and various areas of your brain that you can exercise.
Here are 3 simple ways you can start the journey of mental strengthening for your overall benefit.
1. Read
We have been taught from an early age the benefits of reading. And for good reason. Statistics clearly show that high-performing individuals with success in their career and personal life, including overall happiness and life satisfaction, are avid readers. Comfy Living recently published an article with 21 captivating reading statistics. Let’s take a deeper look below.
- Reading can reduce stress by up to 68%.
- 86% of people with an annual household income of $75,000 a year read at least one book every year. Statistics also show the more books read the higher income made per household.
- Rating stats show that 50% of people who read before bed report sleeping better than non-readers.
- Reading could help reduce mental decline in old age by up to 32%.
- Reading fiction can make you a better decision-maker.
- Reading increases emotional intelligence, and consequently, your career outlook.
2. Review your audience
An important aspect of your own mental gym includes those you allow into the space. Quite frankly, DON’T LET JERKS JOIN YOUR WORKOUT. Would you allow someone to stand next to you on a treadmill while you run and spew off all the ways you're doing things wrong? Of course not. That would drastically decrease your performance and growth. So apply that same approach to your mental gym. Establish boundaries for your mental gym and ensure your audience is made up of people who strengthen you, support you, and assist you on your journey to your best self. The right audience is likely on a similar path as you. It is not uncommon that you will find you are surrounding yourself with others on the same mental strengthening journey. They will stretch your mental muscle by observing situations differently than you. They also can identify gaps you currently are experiencing. One of my favorite sayings is, “You don't know what you don't know because you don't know you don't know it.” Surrounding yourself with someone who has your best interest at heart can be instrumental in strengthening your mental muscle. Being vulnerable and identifying that you don't have all the answers but are seeking to keep improving is key. Make sure your mental gym has the right membership and audience.
3. The Pause
The pause is what I identify as self-care. These are the moments that will strengthen your mental muscle and allow you to pause and reflect on your next best move. Maybe your pause will identify a moment for meditation. Maybe your pause will identify the need for a nice long walk. Maybe your pause will identify the benefit of journaling the moment you are in. Maybe your pause is intended to slow down your pace so you can take a deep breath.
Are you starting to see the benefit of the pause? The pause can mean a number of things but overall, its goal is to allow you space to slow down, pick your head up from the grind of your current day, and take a look around at where you are. This pause is power. This pause is reflection. Challenging yourself to incorporate moments of pause daily strengthens your mental muscle, allows for better decision-making, and is one of the most impactful forms of self-care you can practice. Living with pause can transform your life.
Wherever you are on your mental strengthening journey, do not stop. It is a lifelong habit to incorporate at your own pace for overall health and happiness. You will have setbacks, like with anything, but each breakdown creates space for a breakthrough. And by strengthening your mental muscle, you will start identifying opportunities where they had not been before.
Celebrating your success,
Krista Ryan