The COVID-19 pandemic has changed so much about our daily lives, from remote work to information overload and even social isolation. As we all adjust to this “new normal,” it’s the perfect time to talk about mental strength.
While staying physically healthy is important, it’s just as crucial to keep our minds in shape. The good news is, you can train your brain just like you would any other muscle. All it takes is finding the right strategies and practicing them every day. Once you strengthen your mind, you’ll be ready to tackle anything that comes your way.
Practice Self-Compassion
We often talk to ourselves in a way that’s much harsher than how we’d speak to someone we care about. This is especially true for perfectionists. It’s important to be mindful of being too hard on yourself. Instead of beating yourself up over a mistake, try giving yourself the same advice you’d offer a close friend.
In fact, being too tough on yourself might even hurt your performance. Studies have shown that treating yourself with kindness can actually be the key to training your mind for success. Self-compassion has been linked to better mental health, improved body image, higher self-worth, and more motivation. So, make it a habit to talk to yourself with understanding and compassion.
Center Yourself
As Arnold Bennett said in his book The Human Machine, “Your own mind is a sacred enclosure into which nothing harmful can enter except by your permission.” Learning how to center yourself is one of the best ways to train your mind for success.
When we’re not centered, there are clear signs, like:
- Being overwhelmed by negative thoughts
- Feeling stuck, nervous, or out of control
- Getting distracted easily and struggling to focus
- Checking your phone constantly
With a bit of practice, you can turn that nervous energy into positive focus.
Here are some ways to center yourself:
- Conscious breathing: When you’re off-center, your breathing is usually shallow. So, try taking deep, slow breaths from your belly. Doing this just a few times a day can make a huge difference.
- Practicing awareness: This exercise helps you stay grounded in your body. Take ten minutes to tune into your senses. Name five things you can see, hear, touch, and smell. For taste, a sip of water or tea can help bring awareness to your body.
- Meditation: Meditation is a quick and easy way to reduce stress. It’s been around for thousands of years, and the best part is that anyone can do it. There are tons of apps like Calm, Insight Timer, and Headspace that make meditation easy and accessible. Don’t have much time? There are short guided meditations that only take one to five minutes.
Visualize Success
Visualizing your dreams as if they’re already happening can help you reach your goals faster. This technique has been used by top athletes and high achievers for centuries. Jack Canfield explains that visualization offers four major benefits:
- It taps into your creative subconscious, sparking new ideas to help you reach your goal.
- It trains your brain to recognize the resources you’ll need to make your dreams a reality.
- It activates the law of attraction, drawing in the people, support, and circumstances to help you succeed.
- It boosts your inner motivation to take action and work toward your goals.
The more detailed you make your visualization, the more real it will feel—and the better it will help you perform. Close your eyes and imagine what achieving your goal will look, feel, and sound like. With practice, this mental exercise becomes a powerful tool to train your mind for success.
Learn Something New
Learning new things is great for your brain. Science shows that picking up a new skill increases the density of myelin, which is the white matter in your brain that boosts performance. It also gives your memory a workout, improving how well you can remember things. As you learn, it stimulates neurons and creates new pathways, helping electrical impulses travel faster. This combination of changes helps you learn faster and handle new situations with more confidence.
Also Read: How Can I Stay Consistent with Positive Thinking?
Look for the Silver Lining
Negative thoughts can really weigh you down and affect both your personal and professional life. Changing a negative mindset to a positive one takes practice. Remember, “The only way to fail at failing is to learn nothing from the experience.”
Instead of letting setbacks hold you back, focus on turning them into learning opportunities. When faced with a tough situation, ask yourself, “What can I learn from this?” See failure as a chance to grow, not the end of the road—it’s just the beginning.
As Napoleon Hill said in Think and Grow Rich, “If you fail to control your own mind, you may be sure that you will control nothing else.” Train your mind to think positively, and you’ll be able to overcome any obstacle that comes your way.