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Episode Transcript
Welcome toThe Verywell Mind Podcast.Im Amy Morin, LCSW.
Verywell / Julie Bang
Im also a psychotherapist and a best-selling author of five books on mental strength.
My newest book, “13 Things Mentally Strong People Dont Do Workbook” is now on sale.
Youre listening to the Friday Fix.
And the fun part is we record the show from a sailboat in the Florida Keys.
Now lets dive into todays episode.
Today, Im sharing 5 mental strength exercises you could do from your couch!
But you dont have to push your body to the physical limits to test whether youre mentally strong.
In fact, torturing yourself isnt required to build mental strength.
Building mental strength doesnt have to be miserable.
In fact, if its miserable you probably wont stick to it.
Building mental strength is a lot like building physical strength.
If youre trying to force yourself to do something you hate, you will struggle.
But research shows just putting a name to your feelings helps take the sting out of them.
Labeling an emotion also helps you make more sense of your situation.
Suppressing your emotions only wastes precious time and energy.
As soon as you acknowledge how you’re feeling, you might begin to address the issue.
Once you identify how youre feeling, ask if its a friend or an enemy.
But too often, we think about emotions as either being positive or negative.
Someone might say that anger is a bad emotion.
Its certainly an enemy when it causes you to do something that you regret.
But at other times, anger might give you courage.
You might stand up for someone who is being picked on because you are angry.
The reverse is also true, however.
Those emotions we think are goodlike excitement also have a dark side.
Its fun to feel excited when youre about to go on a vacation.
In that case, excitement is your friend.
In that case, excitement is your enemy.
Sometimes, you might do both.
The point is, if your feelings arent helpful, dont stay stuck in them.
3) Identify three things you feel grateful for
Theres tons of research on gratitude.
The benefits range from better sleep quality to increased happiness.
People who practice gratitude even tend to live longer.
Studies show people who write in a gratitude journal at bedtime enjoy better quality sleep.
It can help you focus on what you have rather than what you dont.
You dont need huge things to be grateful for.
4) Write yourself a kind letter
Weve talked about this one on the show before.
Its simple but really powerful.
Well, your own words might be even more powerful.
If you’re like most people, you’re probably too hard on yourself.
You might call yourself names, doubt your abilities, and tell yourself that you’re not good enough.
Harsh words won’t drive you to do better or accomplish more.
Instead, you’ll hold yourself back.
The key to doing your best involves self-compassion.
Write yourself a letter that is filled with honest but kind words.
You might pick a specific challenge youre facing too.
Whenever you need a little boost, read over that letter.
It can help you feel better and also keep you motivated to keep going.
It might be something that you want to do more oftenlike go for walks after dinner.
Or it might be a habit you want to do less oftenlike calling your ex when you feel lonely.
Once you identify that habit, create a list.
See if it’s possible for you to come up with five ideas.
Whenever you are struggling to motivate yourself to do that thing, read over the list.
It can give you the motivation to do it.
See if you’ve got the option to come up with five things.
Whenever youre tempted to do that thing that is bad for you, read over the list.
It can prevent you from making a poor decision.
Keep that list handy and refer to it whenever you need it.
Work on training your brain to think differently and focus on managing your emotions.
Then, focus on taking positive action and you’ll be on your way toward reaching your greatest potential.
verify to tune into the show on Monday.
Were talking to legendary surfer Kelly Slater.
If you know someone who could benefit from hearing this message, share the show with them.
Simply sharing a link to this episode could help someone feel better and grow stronger.
Do you want free access to my online course?
Its called 10 mental strength exercises that will help you reach your greatest potential.
Then, send us a screenshot of your review.
Our email address ispodcast@verywell.comWell reply with your all-access pass to the course.
Thank you for hanging out with me today and listening to the VW Mind podcast.
