If us ladies are guilty of one thing, it is, perhaps, that we spend more time concentrating on what we look like, rather than how we feel. We love keeping fit here at Girls Of T.O, but great fitness starts in the mind. So, if you think you could do with blowing away the cobwebs and making positive changes to your life, then come join us for our ultimate guide to mental fitness.

Happiness

The first thing to look at is your happiness. If you have a lot of anxious thoughts and worries to contend with, you need to deal with them. It’s at these moments when we are most vulnerable to those things that help block those feelings out. Enter substances such as alcohol, cigarettes, pills and anything else that helps you forget. While these may well give you some relief, it is just short-termism. You need to face your problems head on if you are going to break the cycle. Therapy might work, or you could try something like meditation. It’s easy to get started – this book can work wonders – and is something you can learn quickly over a short period.

Creativity

Getting creative is a great way to get your brain working in a positive way. There is a creative outlet for anyone, so whether you love cooking or arts and crafts, spend a little bit of time with your passions. If you fancy trying something completely new, then why not try learning a musical instrument? If you can put aside a couple of hours a week for lessons, and 30 minutes a day for practicing, you will soon start to get a hold of any instrument. Piano lessons are a great starting point, but if you like the look of any instrument then just go for it! Any creative passion can help you relax and focus on positive things. And as your abilities progress, you will build up a great amount of pride and belief, which are core parts of mental fitness.

Challenge

Once you have started dipping your toes into new areas, your ability to take on, new challenges will increase tenfold. And it’s really important to keep challenging yourself as you get older. Think about learning a new language, or start playing chess. Anything that requires you to sit down and bend your mind a little will help you get to where you want to be. You will find that you develop different areas of your brain, and will start to feel the effects in other areas of your life. Once you know you can achieve things with your head, the prospect of doing one hundred Pilates press ups in a day will not sound quite so daunting!

We hope this little guide has given you a few ideas on how to build up your mental strength and fitness. The key to defeating any problem is having the strength to face it. And the only way to do that is by focusing and testing your mind, so it remains fit and healthy.

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