Living a Mind Fit Life
Your mind’s health. Have you ever considered how your thoughts, feelings and responses to certain situations or stressors impact your life?
The benefits of physical exercise are widely known, and it is generally accepted that one must maintain a certain level of fitness to enjoy life to the fullest extent. The old ‘use it or lose it’ adage springs to mind!
When we are fit, we are in shape to handle life’s everyday physical demands – think housework, caring for children, walking the dog etc. Not only this, but we feel good, we have more energy, and are less prone to illness and injury.
But, what if we were to double down on our fitness mission and treat our mind as yet another body part that requires a regular workout regime?
What if we decided to get mind-fit?
What Does it Mean to Be Mind Fit?
In essence, being mind-fit relates to mental wellbeing. It is about fostering an awareness of how we think, feel and behave.
We all have triggers – a recurring argument with a family member, a difficult colleague, or general life stress. While we can’t control the external, we can control how we react.
When we live in a state of awareness, we are less reactive. With awareness comes the time and the space to choose an alternative response, one that will cause less stress to our emotional state and do less harm in general; this is especially true if there is another person involved.
The Mechanics of Mind Fitness
Within our brain exists neural pathways. These pathways serve to carry our thoughts and behaviours. Over time, and with repeated use, the pathways become embedded, the groove deepened, and our thinking or behaviour automatic. Autopilot anyone?
A well-worn pathway will usually have a past emotion or trigger attached. While running on autopilot can sometimes make life easier, it can cause us to fall into old patterns of behaviour that no longer serve us.
As our mind becomes stronger and fitter, we become more present and better equipped to build new pathways, ones that favour a healthier response. With practice and time, these new pathways replace the old ones and establish themselves as the best route.
What are the Benefits of Being Mind Fit?
Being mind fit or aware invites a level of equilibrium and gratitude into our lives.
Emotional volatility is exhausting, and negativity is a stressor! When we cultivate a state of mental fitness, how we interact with the world is elevated.
Positivity breeds positivity. It is very hard to have a negative encounter with someone calm and rational and not rattled by anger or angst.
Our physical and mental health is intrinsically linked. We know this because every negative emotion invokes a physical reaction, a rise in blood pressure, and a heightened adrenal response. Therefore, the more mentally fit we are, the better our overall health.
Additionally, when we are mentally fit we
- Are more present
- We respond rather than react
- Enjoy improved cognitive function.
- Are more optimistic
- Enjoy greater confidence and a better relationship with ourselves
- Are more compassionate
- Are motivated to instil positive habits in all areas of life
- Sleep better
What does a mind fit life look like?
Living with healthy boundaries
When we live a mind fit life, we are more likely to take care of ourselves by constantly setting and re-establishing boundaries.
Many of us believe that setting boundaries is selfish. But, with a gentle reframing, you will come to see that these boundaries protect us and enable our ability to give in a way that is sustainable.
Embracing growth
A mind fit life opens us up to new possibilities, ideas and interests. We are more likely to seek out challenges and draw energy from goal-setting rather than shy away from the unknown.
Choosing rather than enduring
We become more discerning when choosing our community. We are drawn to those with shared values and those who support and nurture us.
The 9 gems of mind fitness
- Exercise regularly – 45 mins, three times per week is enough
- Eat well and stay hydrated – the brain needs the fuel too
- Meditate daily – 15 mins a day is all it takes
- Keep a gratitude journal – notes in a book, on your phone or computer – easy!
- Take notice – take time to stop and smell the roses
- Be more intentional – slow down. Life isn’t a race
- Practice noticing your thoughts – ask yourself, does this thought serve me?
- Practice body awareness – notice where you store stress or tension, breathe into this spot and release the pressure.
- Use positive affirmations – positive affirmations help us to develop new neural pathways.
It’s a process
With most things in life, becoming mind fit is a process. The returns you enjoy will depend entirely on how much you put in.
However, the important thing to remember is that you won’t be immune to setbacks. After all, there is no day without night nor positivity without negativity.
The goal is to stack the ledger in favour of the positive so that you are better equipped to deal with the trials and challenges of life when they present themselves.