Mental Fitness

The causes of personal stress are simple enough if we face the factors in our lives that cause us discontent, anxiety or any unhappiness that we are experiencing. It may be questionable whether or not we can change the external factors altogether, but we can try to make changes. We can certainly direct and control our personal reactions so as to maintain our mental fitness and self confidence.
In the meantime, as we are working towards alternative situations, how do we free ourselves from negative reactions and symptoms of stress that cause us so much concern and often embarrassment. How do we alter our defensive reactions to life and to people? How do we cease to care what others think about us? What will change our anger when we feel offended or our impatience when we’re in a hurry?  Perhaps our attitude is an important factor.
We must examine our own reactions and stress symptoms. All of them tend to be based upon fear of some kind. All fears can be reduced, once we are prepared to face them and deal with them. We need a clear picture of our ideal self image to refer to our search for replacements for those in our personality.  Stress levels are frequently found to relate to the degree of concern we have about ourselves. Self centredness is definitely an added burden.
Fear is insidious.  We have to be prepared to attend to our ‘homework’ by keeping eliminating them throughout our lifetime. Fears are to be compared with weeds. They have a habit of popping up where not wanted and threaten our well being.
It is self confidence that plays a part in determining our ability to make many changes. Self confidence will allow decisions to be made more easily, without fear of taking a path that cannot be changed later if we wish.
Those whose minds are free of stress and nervous tension are better companions and more fun to be with than those showing strain.  Their minds produce more interesting thoughts and their emotions are inclined to be lighter. They usually also have more friends.

Stress has the power to ruin your life, so why not become free!

Technorati Tags: anger, anxiety, Depression, Meditation, Mental Fitness, personality, Stress, Symptoms, The Brain

Repeated habits can demonstrate to others our levels of stress.

There are many personal common behavioural habits that we have such as hand gestures, foot tapping, and other obvious and often irritating ways. We are more often than not, unaware of these displays of unease. But in social life and in business in particular, these signs tell another person what is our subconscious state of mind and so is keen to observe and to interpret this information according to the situation.

If we are not feeling self confident we tend to be more defensive or aggressive to make up for it. It is certainly generally accepted by those who study behaviour, that when we feel inwardly confident and therefore at ease, our behaviour and the aura around us will be more relaxed.

However, we all have different degrees of capability in disguising our inner stress. It is not always apparent to others that we are suffering butterflies in the stomach or sweaty palms. Our self discipline then becomes a private awareness and a determined will to overcome the cause of our stress.

A calm, self possessed person engenders good responses in others.  A highly nervous, tense or angry person has the opposite affect.

We are also generally aware that when we are suffering from nervous tension, our behaviour is affected in some way.

We must persist in observing our own behaviour for signs of strain just as we become aware of symptoms of stress in others.  Symptoms may be biting finger nails, or fondling a strand of hair and other habits which do not harm or affect others except by causing irritation.  Others can be more serious.

Do you have any often repeated habits or repeated reactions that others may find irritating or to conclude that you are a person with stress?

 Sally Janssen’s wonderful book “Mental Fitness: A Simple Self-Help Guide”, offers simple and timely solutions. Read more…

Technorati Tags: angercharacter, anxiety, Meditation, Mental Fitness, mental health, personality, relaxation, Stress

The person who has satisfactorily applied his skills and intelligence to the art of living is surely the most successful person of all. Someone who has developed mental fitness and achieved a relaxed and confident mental attitude to life in all its avenues is likely to have found some of the secrets of a healthy, simple stress-free lifestyle.

Material success in regard to career, wealth and financial affluence is certainly a part of our modern culture. Although it is the type of success most accented in our materialistic world, it is also most likely to cause major stress in our lives. This is surely not the success we are seeking.  Most of us would rate the deeper issues of emotional and spiritual satisfaction as important. And after all, our real success is experienced only by our degree of happiness.

The value of what we are doing must always be tested by whether we feel inwardly successful and at ease and whether success has brought us lasting joy. We can judge our lack of success as a society by the number of stressed, depressed and unhappy people around us today.

It the material ambitions and desire for success motivates us to require the artificial stimulus of drugs or alcohol sometimes a desperate need to escape the life we have created, then something is wrong. Holidays are an accepted part of modern lifestyle. But if we are not happy to also get back to work and enjoy the opportunities we have for creativity, we need consider whether we are deluding ourselves in thinking that the personal sacrifices we have made are worthwhile. Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: anxiety, Meditation, Mental Fitness, mental health, relaxation, Stress