Your mind is a muscle — let’s flex it.
We don’t get strong arms by doing bicep curls once. Our mental strength is the same. Improving our mental fitness requires time, practice, and consistency.
Neuroscience is discovering new, effective ways to develop our brains for enhanced mental strength and performance. What we are learning about neuroplasticity means that, at any age, through training, we can change our brains to become even more mentally strong, healthy, and fit.
1 | Remember that not every thought is true or helpful:
We don’t have to accept every thought we have. Just because we think it doesn’t mean it’s true. Our beliefs, past experiences, and feelings that we bring to any situation are like an invisible filter that influences the way we interpret and experience the world. The trouble is that we often don’t realize we have a filter. Imagine walking through the world with glasses that have a gloomy lens and just thinking that’s how the world looks. It’s difficult in that situation to consider that a different way of seeing is possible.
We can intentionally drop our filters and open up to the world with fresh eyes. Perhaps you remember a time when you were newly in love it seemed the world sparkled with goodness? It is a sweet experience and is worth enjoying. It is when our lenses are less rosy that we tend to be unaware of them. We may be unconsciously looking at the world through a filter of negativity, fear, or unworthiness, which leads to considerable suffering.
2. Train your mind to concentrate.
Meditation is the way into a personal mental muscle-building playground. It strengthens our ability to watch (hopefully with a sense of humor) all of the wacky, unhelpful, and troubling things that our minds do and is the first step in interrupting and shifting the mental habits that cause us trouble. Meditation also helps us to focus and tune out distractions.
3 | Rest your mind. Relax to music or a sleep story:
No different than taking a break between sprints or a set of deadlifts, your brain needs time to reset and recharge. Rest has been stigmatized for so long that many of us feel lazy when we relax and fear that downtime will hurt our productivity. The truth is adequate rest increases our focus, creativity, and energy so that we can be more productive and efficient. While resting might look like cozying up to read a book, it could also be crafting, climbing, or a board game, basically anything that gives us a reprieve from our everyday stressors.
4 | Tune out the noise.
In the current digital age, distractions are plentiful. Notifications, messages, social media, and various streaming platforms are constantly competing for our attention. If left unchecked, it’s easy to get sidetracked from what’s truly important. A good starting point for digital clean-up is to minimize push notifications on your phone. However, what’s crucial for tuning out the noise is discipline.
5 | Prioritize sleep.
The time we spend awake is precious, but so is the time we spend asleep. In addition to the relaxation benefits, our bodies and brains have the opportunity to repair and recover while we sleep. To show up in the world as our best selves, it’s crucial that we give ourselves this time to recharge. More ZZZs improve our memory, mood, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
6 | Let go.
Trying to control our lives and the people in them is a one-way ticket to anxiety and exhaustion. Notice when you’re fixated on something that you don’t have control over when you’re taking on more responsibility than is yours, or when perfectionism is keeping you stuck. Accept what you can’t control. Let your best efforts be enough for now. And be kind to the part of you who struggles to let go.
7 | Listen to the wise voice within.
The wisdom within, our instincts or intuition, has different ways of revealing itself. Sometimes it is a quiet voice asking to be heard a feeling in the gut, or a deep knowing. Too often, we ignore this wise messenger because our truth can be inconvenient or incongruent with the advice and hopes of our family or society. When we do listen and test out acting in alignment with this wisdom, we begin to build a relationship of trust with ourselves. It is a powerful act of self-love that honors who we are and what we need.
8 | Take a deep breath.
The breath is a powerful support that you can access anywhere — a first date, a test, a big presentation, a tough conversation, or a traffic jam. Slowing down and deepening the breath has been shown to help calm the mind. It can also reduce blood pressure, improve memory, and settle emotions.