Brain Gains: Building and Strengthening Your Mental Fortitude
Just as people can become “swole” in the gym with their muscles, they can also become “swole” in counseling or at home with their minds. The question then might be, how do I strengthen my mind? Is there a workout plan I can follow?
Understanding Mental Strength
Before considering strategies to strengthen our minds, we must define mental strength. Mental strength can be defined as an individual’s ability to recognize and cope with negative emotions. It has three distinct parts: thinking, feeling, and doing.
Thinking
Do you have realistic and rational thoughts and expectations about yourself and the world around you? If the answer to this question is “no,” your mental toughness can be strengthened to combat these irrational thinking patterns and replace them with more realistic ones. Cognitive restructuring, a technique utilized in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), can be used to identify negative thought patterns and challenge them to develop a more balanced perspective.
Feeling
Mental strength relies heavily on embracing how you feel, accepting this feeling, and seeing how and where you can move forward from that uncomfortable space. This process is often referred to as emotional resilience. Practicing mindfulness and self-compassion can aid in recognizing and validating your emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them.
Doing
Are you being proactive and productive in helping your mind stay tough? Engage in activities and behaviors such as self-care that help support building your mental fortitude. Self-care can take many forms, from physical activity like exercise and adequate sleep to mental practices such as meditation and setting healthy boundaries. Consistency in these practices builds resilience over time, reinforcing your mental strength.
Tips to Strengthen Your Mental Toughness
If strengthening your mental toughness is something you are striving for, here are a few tips to help you on your journey:
A Perfect Work/Life Balance = Not Realistic
Work or life, one of these will take up a majority of your time and energy, and it may flip from day to day, and that is OK. It is going to happen. Instead of pressuring and pushing yourself to make sure there is a perfect balance of your time and energy between your work and personal life, accept the reality that one may take precedence over the other for a day. Flexibility and adaptability are key. By understanding that balance is fluid rather than fixed, you can reduce stress and increase satisfaction in both areas.
Choose Wellness Strategies that Fit You
Wellness strategies are abundant (e.g., breathing exercises, yoga, journaling, walking, mindfulness, etc.), but that does not mean each one will work for you. Personalization is important here! It does not hurt to try a few to see which work and which do not. Find healthy strategies that bring you a sense of relief.
Ignore the Impulse to Live Behind an Instagram Filter
Everyone has fallen into the trap of using an Instagram filter in real life. You listen to that part of your brain that tells you to act or be a certain way; otherwise, people will not like you, putting up a filter that is not truly you. Be brave and be yourself. Let your liberating bravery sharpen your mind. Authenticity fosters genuine connections and self-acceptance, which are crucial components of mental strength. Remember, social media often portrays a curated version of reality, and comparing yourself to these standards can be detrimental.
Professional Support
There are only a few tips to help you build your mental fortitude. You may also want to consider meeting with a licensed mental health therapist who can provide you with a safe space to explore your mental strength and tools to help you continue to build on it. Therapy can offer personalized strategies and support, tailored to your specific needs and challenged, making it a valuable resource on your journey into mental toughness.
Building mental strength is a continuous, evolving profess that requires effort, patience, and commitment. By focusing on thinking, feeling, and doing, and by incorporating practical tips and strategies into your daily life, you can develop a resilient and robust mind. Remember, just as with physical fitness, mental fitness requires practice and dedication. Embrace the journey and celebrate your progress along the way!
Please call our office if you would like to speak with someone about treatment options.
Resources:
https://www.verywellmind.com/the-difference-between-mental-strength-and-mental-health-5078284
