Bootcamp for your brain

Bootcamp for your BRAIN

Author: Cailin Fourie

During the course of one's life cycle, many events may take place that cause mental stress, anxiety, or emotional instability. The ebb and flow of challenges presented to us varies daily, but specific methods and tools are available to cope better in distressing situations.

One aspect of mental fitness, like physical fitness, is strength. The strength of the brain is measurable by certain indicators, such as how a person manages stressful situations, how well they acclimate to change, and how resilient a person can be during hardships. Of course, these are all variables, and each person's environment and past circumstances have shaped their responses and reactions. There are many factors to consider before one can conclude if a person is mentally fit or not.

The best way to improve your mental fitness is to be consistent. Be alert in your everyday life for situations that trigger hopelessness, feelings of failure or incompetence, stress, anxiety or fear. By spotting these feelings and what triggers them, you can devise a game plan to empower yourself to rise above these falsehoods. If you commit to yourself and act every day to achieve that goal, setbacks won't have such a stimulating effect on you.

Will Power is the best tool to strengthen your mind and reserve. I say this because some people have an innate drive and motivation to get ahead in life or achieve a specific goal, irrespective of setbacks, trauma or stress that may be present on their journey. Realising that you are the only person responsible for your mental state is integral to accepting your weaknesses, which creates a space for improvement.

Staying grounded when life gets topsy-turvy is easier said than done, but your mental state is crucial to your overall well-being. Nurture and feed your mind with the same urgency that you feed your muscles and skin daily.

'Somedays your light may get curbed by the wave of uncertainty, but that doesn’t mean you will never shine again'. - Sonia