The Fit Mind
by Jonathan M. Gransee, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist
With all the craze over fitness, the counting of the calories, the focus on carbohydrates and proteins and the like, the Adtkins diet, and cholerterol monitoring, it is obvious that we care about our bodies, and want to live long, healthy lives (or at least try). So, in that same mindset, it makes perfect sense that we would also want to care about our minds, for what use is a healthy body if the mind is not? I think we’ve all come to accept the mind-body connection: if you feel sick to your stomach, it tends to make your crabby. If you have a headache, you may call off the night. If you are weak from underexercise, you tend to feel depressed. Okay, maybe some of these are not true for you, but these are examples, and I’m fairly certain if you think about it, you will find some connection.
So you’ve decided that mental fitness is just as good as physical fitness. Now what?
Well, it’s time for a checkup. Here’s a few questions that you can ask yourself:
1. Do I have enough energy, motivation, and zest to do what it is I need to do?
2. Do I look forward to each day?
3. Are there things that excite me?
4. Do I feel mentally sharp?
5. Am I happy with my life?
6. Is there anything I would like to change about my life?
7. Is there anything I feel guilty about?
8. Is there anything I’m angry about?
9. Is there anything I’m sad about?
10. Is there anything I’m frightened by?
11. Do I like the people in my life?
12. Do I feel good about what I’ve done with my life?
13. Is there anything you’re worried about?
14. Do you have a fear that haunts you? A fear of death? A fear of poverty? A fear of starvation? Etc etc
15. Am I not happy with my emotional state?
Congratulations! You’ve just gained what we in psycho-speak like to refer to as ‘Insight.’ Feeling some emotional distress? It’s what happens when you realize that something in your being does not agree with something else. It comes when you realize that you have emotional pain. Relax. It is natural, and you can fix this.
Here are some suggestions that you can use for minor problems. It’s sorta like changing the oil in your car … it’s something the average person can do. However, if you have more significant emotional pain, reality is you will probably need a professional to help you along. Don’t sweat it … therapy can be a wonderful thing … full of self-realizations and emotional cleansing. The end result can be final freedom from those things that bothered you so much. It doesn’t always happen that way, admittedly, but often it does, and the good news that you can almost guarantee success if you are picky about who you choose for therapy, pick someone who works well with you, and try your hardest to make progress.
So what sort of things might you try on your own?
1. Check your mental fitness – Do the mental checkup regularly … don’t ignore the rough spots.
2. Exercise your mind: figure math computations in your head, rather than using a calculator, try to remember past events as clearly as possible, think through a problem in your head, do brain teasers, challenge yourself to overcome a fear, push yourself to attain your goals, etc etc. A well exercised mind is better able to cope.
3. Work out the knots in the muscles: If you come across something that is emotionally painful, stop and focus on it. Try to find the cause … trace the pain back to it’s origin. Seek help if it’s too difficult, or if it’s too painful
4. Watch your diet: Stay away from things that are bad for the your soul. That is going to differ from person to person, but if you know it is bad for your soul, realize that continuing to ingest this will make you feel worse, and will lower your mental fitness
5. Get plenty of rest: Just like the body, the mind needs rest. That can include sleep, relaxation, meditation, mindless activities, and the like
6. Don’t push your mind too far: Just like the body, the mind has it’s limits. If you are in a situation that is too stressful, too long, you can cause your mind long-term damage. Know your mental limits, and don’t overextend yourself too much. However, this does not mean that you should not push the limits? For some people, this is how they grow, mentally … but you need to know what you can handle.
7. Limit intoxicants: Again, just like the body, the mind can be altered by overuse of intoxicants. Physical damage could include a damaged liver, or damaged lungs, while mental damage can include long-term depression, anxiety, or other problems.
8. Know yourself: You cannot keep your body healthy if you don’t understand your body. What causes you to gain weight? What makes you energetic? What makes you tired? What makes you sleep good? Well, it is the same with your mind. You cannot keep mind healthy if you do not know yourself. What does that mean? It means you need to know what makes you happy, and what makes you sad, and what makes you irritated, and what makes you angry, etc. As well, you need to know what you like and don’t like, what’s important to you, and what’s not, what kind of friends you like, what you want to be, etc. If you are really lost on this one, you need to consider asking for help from a professional.
9. Don’t ever stop trying to improve yourself: Just like the body, which atrophies (gets weaker) with a lack of exercise, the mind is the same way. You will be the healthiest if you at least periodically try to improve yourself.
Copyright June 2008. These articles cannot be used in any fashion without the explicit permission of the author, except for individual use.
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition, and is for the sole purpose of providing alternate perspectives. If you feel that a mental health condition exists in yourself or the person you are reading this article for, you are advised to seek out psychological or psychiatric services.