Although different aspects of your being operate independently, they’re still connected. Your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and actions are all part of the one entity known as You which explains why your physical and mental states are so closely corelated. Balance in one area is easily transferred to another and is why physical fitness can positively influence your mental strength and resiliency.
How can you develop mental toughness using your physical body?
Are you experiencing situations that put a strain on your mental processes? Do you feel stressed out and unable to make decisions? Mental toughness can be difficult to acquire, but it’s much easier to obtain if you focus on achieving physical fitness first.
By ensuring your body is strong, challenged, and fully tuned, you can encourage mental toughness and realize awesome physical achievements.
Try these strategies to strengthen both your mental and physical fitness:
- Make your workouts uncomfortable. It’s important to challenge yourself. Instead of doing what you know you can, test your limits. Keep changing the game so you build determination.
- Develop an indomitable spirit by jogging outdoors during winter instead of on the treadmill. It’s easy and comfortable to use the treadmill. Running outside in cold climates tests your limits. It builds resiliency and also allows you to feel confident in your abilities when you succeed.
- Adding one additional rep at the end of your set builds self-worth and mental toughness whilst also improving the quality of your workout.
- Fitness challenges help you transfer the confidence and determination you get to other parts of your life. Uncomfortable life situations can really take a toll. But because you’ve already overcome fitness challenges and built mental toughness during those workouts you can use those victories to equip you with coping mechanisms for mentally challenging situations.
- Participate in physical competitions. Competitions are usually intimidating, especially if you have a formidable opponent. But as you participate in more competitions, your self-esteem develops at the same time. It gets you out of your comfort zone and allows you to test yourself against yourself in the heat of competition.
- As you compete, you come to terms with your abilities. And although you may be less impressive than your competition, you can truly develop an appreciation for the level you’ve reached.
- In all your competitions, avoid allowing pride to push you beyond your limits. Yes you want to challenge yourself physically and prove to yourself that you’re you can compete, but avoid doing so at risk of hurting yourself physically.
- Take part in speed training. You may have other strong suits that don’t include being fast on your feet. But you’d be surprised how much speed training can help you mentally. Practicing sprints and trying to shorten reaction time can help you work more efficiently.
- When you develop a quick reaction time, it’s easier for you to make good decisions under pressure.
- Speed training also helps you to work quickly and accurately. It’s great if you can speed through tasks. But it’s even better if your accuracy level is always high. Develop an effective combination through speed training.
Take the time today to acknowledge the connection between your mind and body. They support each other on a day-to-day basis. Be sure your mind functions optimally by keeping your body in tune. Your professional life and personal life will both benefit.
