It’s not rocket science to know what it takes to get and stay in shape. Eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, varying the movements, time and intensities, getting 8 plus hours of sleep and you are on your way to optimal physical health.
What you must realize is that so much of your success with your short and long term physical health is determined by your mental health.
Staying Mentally FIT is just as, if not more important than staying physically FIT. Below are the top 5 tips to staying mentally FIT.
1. Be a constant optimist full of possibility.
I like to call this, “ABP”. Always be positive. You will become what is constantly on your mind. If you are a positive and motivated person then you will look for and attract opportunities. If you are negative and focus your thoughts what you don’t have that is exactly what you will continue to have.
2. Focus only on what you can control don’t spend energy on factors out of your control.
The things you can control are known as your influence (within my game). Think of things like the number of workouts you do in a week, how much sleep you get, your mobility/yoga habits, what you think about daily, how do you plan (workouts, food, career, etc…). All of the things you can control can move you forward.
The factors that are out of your control are the concerns (outside my game). These are things such as the actual weight you lift, if you go RX’d today or not or how others in your class are performing. Focusing your energy on these things does nothing to serve you in achieving Mental FITness.
3. Meditate simply spend quiet, alone time sorting through your thoughts & emotions or being still in prayer.
I have read that our bodies need to rest 2 times in a 24 hour period for optimal health, once at night and once during the day. Finding time to mediate even if its for 5 minutes can do wonders to recharge your physical, mental and emotional batteries.
4. Surround yourself with people who really encourage you towards your goals.
We become who we associate with. The people we spend our time with determine what
conversations dominate our attention and what observations, attitudes and opinions we repetitively are introduced to. Eventually, we start to eat what they eat, read what they read, watch what they watch, treat people how they treat them and think like they think. All the while you might not even be conscious of it.
5. Have fun, be fun, implement fun… Very often.
This is #1 in my book! Fun is always first. Life is short. A lot of us take everything that happens to us so serious. When you are having fun you are happy. When you are having fun you are motivated. When you are having fun you help others have fun. Having fun is contagious. Do it!
What are some techniques you use to improve your mental health? Please ‘Post’ in the comments.
Fit Chic