Do You Believe That Your Life Experiences Have Made You Mentally Fit?

Every day of your life you are and have been making decisions.  Basically, you are making good decisions and sometimes very difficult decisions.  Have you been successful in completing your educational vocational goals?  

You will probably agree with the following statement. You could not have obtained your current status in life without sweating, thinking clearly and making difficult decisions. 

Aren't you challenged everyday when you cope with life's frustrations and problems?  Life is full of problems, which you face on a daily basis.  You have made the best choices available to you.  This I firmly believe.

Therefore, it is a no-brainer.  You have been successful and are successful.  You have shown some mental strength, courage, and persistence by coping with your life on a daily basis.  You have used your mental resources on a daily basis.

I must emphasize that I do not wish to offend anyone by suggesting that they need mental fitness training.  I do not want to depreciate anyone's abilities to succeed and their current efforts in coping with their lives.

However, mental fitness is a lot like physical fitness.  There was a time that people thought they did not need physical fitness training.  They thought that coping with the ordinary physical demands of their everyday living would make them physically fit.  We now know that that is a false belief.  Living one's life on a daily basis does not make a person physically fit.  If a person wants to be physically fit, then they must focus and commit to exercising on a frequent basis.

Likewise, coping with the mental demands of everyday living will not make you mentally fit.  You can have mental successes in coping with your life without mental fitness training.  However, coping with the mental demands of everyday living will not make you mentally fit.

Mental fitness and physical fitness are a lot alike.  Coping with the everyday demands of life do not make a person physically or mentally fit.  If you want to be mentally and physically fit, it is important to do mental and physical exercises.

If you thought that coping with everyday problems and life situations would make you mentally fit, might you be missing something?

Remember, You Will Live within the Environment Created by Your Choices!

Dr. Hal

Life and Mental Fitness Coach

Comments

[Sherry]

I totally agree that everyday things we do, like go to work, are not enough to take care of our physical and mental needs. Excercising both the body and brain are essential for me, it just makes me feel healthier and more empowered. For instance; walking either outside or on a tredmill helps me to lower my stress level. And it is empowering for me. When I first started walking/excercising it was hard!! As much as I walked at work, I was shocked when I woke with sore muscles after a simple excercise plan, a good kind of sore. I felt I was doing something right if I was sore and it empowered me to keep at it. Physically, I noticed I could do a little more or go a little further each day. That's an empowering feeling, too.

Then, my Family Practice Dr. introduced me to Tai Chi, a form of martial arts that I could handle since I have a few disabilities. The purpose of Tai Chi is to take control of the mind through a series of low impact movements and controlling your breathing. It helps with balance, or centering yourself, and concentration. Again, I was stunned how sore my muscles were at first. Tai Chi looks like a beautiful dance in slow motion. I learned several different moves and then we put them all together and moved fluidly to the most beautiful music. Anyone can do it, from a chair, standing, or just going through the motions in your mind, depending on your limitations. I found it very relaxing and satisfying! Men and women where in the class.

Normal, everyday things we do are not enough for the mind and body. In this fast paced, out of control world we live in today, I owe it to myself to find things to do that make me feel good, rather I choose to. I highly recommend Tai Chi to everyone! It's a free class that will start again in Sept. 2008 at the Genesys-Hurley Cancer Institute on Robt. T. Longway, for anyone interested. I know I will be there! Can't make the class one day per week? You can purchase a dvd that walks you through all of the movements and you get the music, too!