Purpose, what is our purpose? We all fit into society in one way or another. The purpose for we change. When we are children, our purpose is to … Then as we go through education and become adults our purpose changes again. Some of us go to further education, some of us go into work while others start apprenticeships.
“Mental strength involves developing daily habits that build mental muscle. It also involves giving up bad habits that hold you back.” (“Habits To Become Mentally Strong. 10 Ways to Become …”) Amy Morin, 2017
Social gains, physical gains, mental gains. Strength, we all have it, some of us have more in other aspects than others.
Social gains – Having a steady level of serotonin.
Physical gains – How much can your body move.
Mental gains – Your inner peace.
Everyone has a different level of gain and there is no bar for the perfect gain balance, it all depends on what you need and what your chosen lifestyle is. However, all types of gains are important to have a healthy life.
A big example is in sports, “you gotta get ya head in the game.”
You know athletes definitely have their physical gains in check, they know how to push their bodies to the limit. But no matter how hard an athlete trains if their head is not in the game… they are not going to perform to their fullest. So, tell me why when athletes during the 2021 Olympics filled out of events for their mental health but you must buckle down and pull through? Those athletes chose mental gains over their pride, they publicly took a step back to check- in with themselves.
So, what mental gain exercises can you do to improve your mental gains?
1. Thought warm-up
a. When you feel overwhelmed, take five deep breaths in for the count of four, hold for the count of four, and breathe out for a count of six. Those thoughts that are still there write them down in a list. Now use the five-second rule- can you fix it in five seconds if so, do it now, if not tell yourself you will do it later.
2. Thought destroyer
a. Has something been bothering you for more than a week? It is time to talk, we have all seen the bottle-shaking analogy. This is where two bottles are shaken, and one is opened immediately, and the other is opened a little while later. This is a visualisation that demonstrates how anger can take away from you if you release it straight away. However, if this thought is still running around your head a week or two later you need to talk. One of two things can happen here:
i. Gaslighting (We will discuss this another day)
ii. Understanding and closure
3. Thought Role model
a. This is visualisation exercise, take a moment to take a couple of breaths (in for four, hold for four and out for 6). Practice makes perfect, incision your goal for today, what is it you want to achieve make it realistic. How does it make you feel to achieve this goal? You should feel like a winner, much like meeting your PR in the gym, the fact you did the task you needed to do is just that. You’re only as good as the weakest version of yourself if you couldn’t mentally do a task yesterday but you can do day… congrats you met your mental PR. Be your own role model, much like working out in the gym the person spotting you can’t lift that weight for you but they can release the weight from crushing you. And if you do not have someone to spot you then you do not put on the clips. Be proud of yourself even when you must fail.
For more information check out these links:
Here is an article you might like about the top 10 mental Health Books for 2022- https://www.verywellmind.com/best-mental-health-books-4799301
Here is an in site to what gaslighting is- https://www.verywellmind.com/is-someone-gaslighting-you-4147470
Here is an article on why students need hobbies- https://www.columbia.ab.ca/the-importance-of-having-a hobby/#:~:text=Hobbies%20give%20you%20an%20opportunity,risk%20of%20depression%20and%20dementia.
And of course, if there is anything you would like us to unpack send us an email or leave a comment.