Mindset challenges for mental well-being - Part 2

Welcome to part two of the mindset challenges for mental well-being.

Feelings

Mindset challenge #8 is feelings.

Feelings, talking to your friends about your real feelings, and I mean your real, real feelings.

So look, over the years, we have become better at saying how we felt after the event:

"Sorry, I never met up with you last week I was in a dark place man." Or, "I’m not really feeling it today. I just don’t feel that great can we meet up another day?"

But I want us to go to the next level now and I would like to talk about those feelings.

What is in that dark place? What happened there?

Talking about it when we’re in that place. Not avoiding the phone calls. Actually talking to our friends about that feeling: about feeling like a failure, about that voice in the back of your head that keeps telling you you’re no good or that feeling that just comes over the body that makes you feel like you’re worthless, you’re not going to achieve the goals that you set out for yourself. You’re not going to be able to show to your friends and family that you are capable of being a responsible person.

Talk about those feelings. Take time, maybe not today but take time to sit down with a trusted friend and really talk about how you feel, not worrying about judgement just getting that s*** off your chest, so that you can feel a bit lighter.

Goals

 Mindset challenge #9 is goals.

Set realistic goals, but make sure that your goals challenge you; that they take you into the stretch zone, where you feel rewarded and invigorated, you feel like you’re moving forwards.

But make sure your goals aren’t too demanding because you will end up in the panic zone and you will feel overwhelmed.

But please don’t make your goals too easy, because then you’ll be stuck in the comfort zone and you won’t feel like you’ve progressed or you won’t feel like you’re moving forwards.

Strengths

Mindset challenge #10 is strengths.

Today what you’re going to do is write down a list of your strengths and you’re not going to write down your weaknesses, because we both know, you do that too much already. So you’re going to start with writing a list of your strengths

• What you do well?
• What have you’ve achieved?
• What are you best at?

Then you’re going to look at how you use your strengths in different areas of your life. Your personal relationships, your work and your personal fulfilment.

Then you will spend some time looking at how you can use your strengths more often. Where, when and how? This will give you an insight into what you do well and what you need to do more of.

Happy

Mindset challenge #11 is happy.

What do you equate to happiness? Some of us out here believe that happiness comes from being with our partner, finding the right partner. Others feel happiness comes from having that dream job. And there’s a lot of people who think that happiness comes from having money.

But they are all eternal things, and you can find yourself waiting for a lifetime for this to happen therefore feeling that you cannot be happy.

Happiness comes from within.

So today; what are you going to do to make yourself happy? What thing can you do that makes you happy?

Rest

Mindset challenge #12 is rest.

It is important to distinguish the difference between rest and taking a break.

When you take a break, you are sitting down for 10 minutes or laying down for five minutes. The emphasis is on a quick breather.

When you are having a rest, it can be anything from 30 minutes to an hour. We zone out from work and everything else and have a nice good rest

So remember to take a rest and if you are now finding excuses as to why you can’t take a rest, then this is for you.

Friends 

Mindset challenge #13 is friends.

Spending time with friends is good for our well-being. It is very important to communicate and spend time with friends. When the chance arises, be honest with friends about how you feel and also be a good friend. Be there for your friends: be sympathetic, be empathetic

Journaling

Mindset challenge #14 is journaling.

Journaling is good to get your worries and other thoughts out on paper. Journaling can be called meditation on paper. So take some time, get your thoughts out and let them go.