Improve Mental Health Through Fitness
Mental wellness is just as vital as physical health. Health and wellness include physical strength, flexibility, endurance, speed, agility, and coordination exercises. As well as proper nutrition, weight management, sleep, and rest.
Mental health is also part of overall wellness. Clinical Psychologist Dr. Gareth Ferber of Finders University believes that mental fitness domains’ are similar to physical fitness’s components. Dr. Ferber says each domain contributes to overall mental wellness.
Dr. Ferber helps guide his students through college life using mental fitness domains. These domains include positive emotions, regulating negative emotions, and self-awareness. As well as understanding, direction/purpose/identity, and building positive relationships. Additional fields he has are body care, financial literacy/ control, and the ability to modify one’s environment. Dr. Ferber aims to increase well-being and academic work success.
Using Dr. Ferber’s mental fitness framework as a guide, you will identify bad habits and help to correct them.
Fear and Negativity
Bad habit: Allowing fear and negativity to consume your life.
How to fix it: instead of thinking negatively, control your thoughts, emotions, and surroundings by adding positive friends and brighter conditions that will help inspire you. You will quickly have a more positive outlook on your daily experiences.
Phone and Social Media
Bad habit: Constantly into your phone and on social media.
How to fix it: Take frequent breaks from staring at your phone. When having dinner, being out with friends, engaging in conversation, and finding out what may be interesting between you and your people. The more you engage in face-to-face discussion, the more people will learn about you and vice versa.
End Toxic Relationship
Bad habit: You’re in a toxic relationship.
How to fix it: If you are in a relationship that offers little emotional support, has conflict, irrational competition, or subversion from either member, the situation is considered toxic. Dr. Lillian Glass says the same thing in her book Toxic People. Either things must change, or the relationship is doomed and should end before things worsen.
Why so Serious?
Bad habit: You take life too seriously.
How to fix it: If you are constantly stressed about what others think of you, afraid of looking stupid, obsess over every tiny detail, or have difficulty laughing at yourself, you are too severe and need to relax more. Letting go might be a key to gaining more confidence. Shift your perspective from introspection to self-deprecation. Overnight, you will have more fun and may even start to enjoy some less-than-perfect things.
Free Up Clutter and Free Your Mind!
Bad habit: You live in clutter.
How to fix it: Freeing your living and working spaces will help free your mental space. Your life should be about experiences. Things are only a by-product of those experiences, not vice versa. Get rid of everything you don’t need and keep things clean, neat, and organized. Soon, structure, proper planning, time management, and an open schedule for fun may suddenly become apparent to you.
Are Online Relations Real Relationships?
Bad habit: All your relationships are online.
How to fix it: The internet may have redefined modern friendships and romance, but that does not mean you should never meet anyone in person. Both the movie and MTV series Catfish were famous for a reason. However, living behind a virtual computer screen does not replace one-on-one in-person contact. Genuine relationships are physical, not virtual.
Fail Your Way to Success!
Bad habit: You let failure take you off the path to eventual success.
How to fix it: I learned from 30 years of sales experience that failure helps force us outside of our comfort zone. But, once out, we must try again, producing different ways to succeed.
We are forced to become stronger than before. If not, we might not get paid. So, keep trying until you get the payoff! Whatever that payoff means to you.
Mediation Works!
Bad habit: You quickly clear your mind when things get rough.
How to fix it: Some journeys in life are more challenging than others. A common thread to improving rough patches is a clear mind. Your attitude will change once your thoughts are clear, your perspective falls into place, and solutions are uncovered. Mediation is a fantastic pathway towards clarity.
Get Enough Sleep!
Bad habit: You need to get enough sleep.
How to fix it: Not getting enough sleep will undermine your overall mental health and wellness efforts. Sleep deprivation also raises the risk of mental health disorders, cardiovascular disease, obesity, hormonal abnormalities, and diabetes.
You can fix this problem by avoiding sugary foods, keeping your meals light two to three hours before bedtime, avoiding caffeinated drinks several hours before bedtime, and getting a comfortable mattress and pillow. See my previous article., 10 Proven Tips to Get Better Sleep.
You Need to Budget!
Bad habit: You need a budget.
How to fix it: Issues with personal finance negatively affect mental health and leave you feeling overwhelmed and depressed, creating a downward spiral of more significant financial problems and depression. The solution is to take inventory of your finances, track your spending, not buy impulsively, and stay consistent.
You Have no Discipline
Bad habit: You have no discipline and consistently need more exercise.
How to fix it: It is well known that getting enough physical exertion can cause a litany of physical issues. However, lack of physical fitness can also lead to mental health issues like dementia and depression. Get at least 20-30 minutes of vigorous workout three times a week.
Conclusion
Taking care of our physical and mental well-being is essential for healthy and fulfilling lives. This means paying attention to our thoughts and habits.
Things like thinking negatively, spending too much time on our phones, being in unhealthy relationships, or living in a messy space can make us feel bad. Instead, we should focus on positive changes like spending time with friends in person, finding ways to relax, and keeping our surroundings tidy.
