HOT Magazine, Issue 9, Volume 6

Page 70

Increase Your Mental Strength For A More Fulfilling Life

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any people strive to live within their comfort zone thinking that it will lead to a stress-free existence where they will feel content and secure. Surprising to many however is that this comfort zone existence is a state which highly successful people try their best to avoid. By running from discomfort all the time, you are restricted to a small zone of comfort, and so you miss out on most of life. On most of the best things in life, in fact. And you can become unhealthy because if eating healthy food and exercising is uncomfortable, then you go to comfort foods and not moving much. Being unhealthy, unfortunately, is also uncomfortable, so then you seek distractions from this in food and entertainment and shopping (as if spending will solve our problems!) and this in turn makes things worse. What's the solution? Try to do at least one uncomfortable thing every day. Eat something healthy that you've never had before. Do math without a calculator. Walk to work instead of driving (if it's feasible). The more you choose to tackle uncomfortable tasks willingly, the more you'll be able to handle it when you don't have a choice and in doing so it will make you mentally stronger, which is a good thing.

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Below are 10 other things mentally strong people do: 1. They practice gratitude. Instead of focusing on their burdens or what they don’t have, mentally strong people take stock of all the great things they do have. There are several ways to practice gratitude, but the simplest way to start is just by thinking of three things you’re grateful for each day. You can also start a gratitude journal to jot down all the good things you experienced throughout the day or adopt gratitude rituals, such as saying grace before a meal.

2. They say “no.” Research from the University of California in San Francisco shows that the more difficulty you have saying no, the more likely you are to experience stress, burnout, and even depression. Saying “no” may be a problem for some, but not for the mentally strong. Instead of accepting every social invite or helping co-workers with every

project, they just say “no.” This way, they can complete their own work and not overcommit themselves. Billionaire investor Warren Buffet takes it a step further saying “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”

3. They overcome their inner critic. If you think you’re a failure, guess what? You’ll probably end up failing. That self-fulfilling prophecy is predicting your fate. Instead, use that self-fulfilling prophecy to your advantage by believing you’re going to succeed. This can be a challenge, but it’s possible if you pay attention to your thoughts. Don’t ignore those negative thoughts -- acknowledge them, and then do something positive to distract yourself. Take a look at the evidence on both sides. By jotting down the good and the bad, you’ll notice that some of those negative thoughts are irrational. Find balance: Rather than beat yourself up, look at your flaws as ways to improve.


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