Strong Mind Strong Life

“As you think, so shall you become” is a quote from one of my favorite modern philosophers, Bruce Lee. There have been other maxims to put us in a good mindset, such as “Attitude is everything” and “Have the confidence of a four-year-old in a Batman T-shirt.” While these guides are useful, real results come from daily habits to develop healthy and strong mental strength.

Live in the Moment. Each second of your life is unique. It’s special to you and will never be duplicated. Focus on what’s happening NOW. Fixating on things that happened in the past is a waste of time and energy. Doing this could cause stress and bring doubt to future decisions. Learn from what has happened and put it out of your mind. Take care of what you can in the Now while making future plans.

Change is Good (and Inevitable). It’s called “Life” and it’s always moving. You grow when you’re willing to change or unexpectedly challenged. Think of it as your personal evolution when you become better than you were. New growth means new opportunities. Take a risk to break out of “your box.” Jumping in the deep end of a pool to learn swimming is a good motivator. A bold commitment to either sink or swim. Common sense will tell you not to do your first swim from a dive off the high board. Sadly, not all change is good. Bad things happen to good people. You’ll grow when faced with adversity or some incident. Improvise, adapt, and overcome as the U.S. Marines have shown us.

Set Boundaries. You can’t do everything. I’m not the first one to tell you it’s okay to say “no.” You’ll be more effective by limiting commitments when you can. Too much giving of yourself takes time and energy away from your goals, adds stress, and leads to burnout or resentment. The world will continue if you say “no” and you’ll be able to focus on other important things in your life.

Be Happy. Yeah, this can be a difficult thing for some. A useful technique I found begins the moment you wake up. You CHOOSE to get up with either a peppy mindset or miserable outlook. I’ve faced financial and health stress at various times in my life. Starting the day bright and cheery is the first line of defense against doom and gloom. It didn’t change my situation. It gave me hope to keep making improvements. Energize your spirit by feeling happy or having a positive outlook.

Self-Care. It sucks being sick. Drink water throughout the day, eat good foods in moderate quantities, exercise every day, and create a sleeping routine. Take some “me time” to pamper yourself. Invigorate yourself by learning a new skill or hobby. Spending time with family and friends, resting, meditating or praying, or simply having fun contributes to a healthy you. You’re important, so take care of yourself.

Manage Stress. Difficult situations create worry. You’ll need to find some way to release the anxiety, or you’ll be like a balloon with too much air – you’ll burst. Exercise, take a bath, meditate, talk to family, friends, or a mentor, or whatever works for you to take your mind off things for a while. Look at the “Be Happy” and “Self-Care” sections for other ideas. You’ll find a way to get out of a bad situation or correct a problem faster and better with stress-free thinking.

Say What You Think. Sharing your opinion is equally as important to reducing stress as finding a coping mechanism. You’re part of a family, group, team, community, or other gathering of people. Your voice should be heard. Speak with authority while being kind and fair. Be constructive without verbally assaulting or insulting. Speaking your mind removes the “woulda-coulda-shoulda” feeling that tends to seep into your mind at a later time.

Celebrate Others Success. Others have dreams, goals, and aspirations. They also work to achieve their objective. It feels great when others notice your accomplishments, right? Give the same consideration to others when they have a win. It’ll make you feel good, too. Think of them as an inspiration. They did it, so can you!

Be Thankful and Grateful. The majority of us know to thank others for a kind word or good deed. Have you ever thanked yourself? You are what you are and have what you have because of all that you accomplished to be where you are right now. Humans tend to look at what they’re missing rather than appreciate what they have. Create a gratitude habit. Take thirty seconds to give thanks for the small and big things that make your life special.

You can have strong mental health with an equally strong attitude by including proven actions into your life. All the good things – extending yourself through good deeds, taking a risk, giving thanks, and sharing a praise – releases endorphins to make you feel good. The same happens when you take care of yourself – healthy body, healthy mind.

Starting each day with a positive outlook is the first step to a better future. But why wait until tomorrow? Write down three things you’re grateful for right now! Get those good vibes going!