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Just as small exercises can build your physical strength, brief, mindful moments of mental fitness can build your emotional muscles and help you to return to calm with more ease. These mental-fitness-resets give your mind the same steady foundation that regular physical exercise provides your body, And practicing them consistently can turn a state of calm into a habit!
We often think of fitness as requiring big chunks of dedicated time. But just as brief, incidental activities – like taking the stairs or doing a quick stretch during a Zoom call can benefit physical health, small intentional actions built into the ‘margins’ of our day can build mental fitness.
Research supports the power of brief daily practices like deep breathing, mindfulness, and gratitude exercises. Just five minutes of focused attention can improve mood, reduce stress, and help reset the mind after a busy day.
So, even if you don’t have time to workout in the Mental Fitness Gym every day, you can build mental fitness into the transition moments of your day. Here’s some ideas to get you started. Mix and match any that you like!
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..and the good news is, the more you practice, the stronger your emotional muscles become. Consistency is key: the more frequently you incorporate calm-building practices into your day, the more your brain forms connections that make calm a default response, helping you manage stress more effectively, even in challenging situations.
These small Mental Fitness breaks mirror some of the practices in our 14 Days of Calm workout. When you commit to these simple, daily actions, you’re strengthening a steady foundation of calm – on break at a time.
Join us for the 14 Days of Calm workout
These small Mental Fitness breaks mirror some of the practices in our 14 Days of Calm workout. When you commit to these simple, daily actions, you’re strengthening a steady foundation of calm – one break at a time.
Ready to find your calm? Register for free here.
The Science of Mental Fitness
This study shows that brief social interactions, even with acquaintances, can increase feelings of belonging and improve mental wellbeing, highlighting the value of everyday connections. Sandstrom, G. M., & Dunn, E. W. (2014). Social Interactions and Well-Being: The Surprising Power of Weak Ties. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 31(6), 855-871.
