By Loz Antonenko, Healthy Habit Coach at Loz Life
Life’s a rollercoaster at the moment. One minute you are enjoying the ride. Next, you’re doing a loop-de-loop of stress and chaos. Overwhelm is your norm, and your best intentions for self-care get left in the basket with your bag as you hop on the rollercoaster every morning and fall into a heap at night.
There are a few simple habits to smooth out those sharp twists and turns in your daily life. Handbrake habits are everyday things that we often miss, which are important in maintaining our emotional well-being. They’re like the handbrake in your car, simple but essential to have a handle on things. There’s five fundamental habits that can transform your life and make sure you have fuel to handle the emotional roller coaster that comes from being a human in this modern age of information overload and too many things to juggle at one time. These habits fuel emotional resilience, and they are not too hard to implement into your life without making too many changes.
Building toughness is just as crucial as staying physically fit. Our minds are constantly bombarded with information and stress. Regular mental exercises are essential to keep our minds sharp and agile. If you’re feeling mentally exhausted, unfocused or simply stuck, incorporating daily mental activities can enhance resilience and boost mental well-being.
There are practices that can help strengthen your mental resilience without being overwhelming. These activities can easily be integrated into your routine if you’re committed to sticking with them.
Start by having a dialogue with yourself
The path to resilience starts with self awareness. Take a moment each day to reflect on your emotions and thoughts. Ask yourself;
- How am I feeling today?
- What thoughts dominate my mind?
- What is causing me stress? How can I address it?
This introspection can help identify barriers and stress triggers that require attention. It’s about recognising your state and setting clear intentions for the day ahead.
Mindfulness matters
Mindfulness techniques and meditation serve as strategies for boosting resilience. They help you be present, reducing stress, so your brain can concentrate on other things.
Here’s a quick mindfulness exercise, where you can give a shot;
- Find a space you love to be that’s peaceful
- Focus on your breathing – exhale deeply, focusing on the feeling of the air entering and leaving your body.
- No judgement – acknowledge any thoughts that arise without evaluating them. Gently redirect your attention back to your breathing.
- Commit – dedicate 10 minutes to this practice everyday. This can help reduce stress and monkey brain
Challenge your brain
Just like how physical workouts strengthen your body, mental exercises boost brainpower. Nowadays, our phones are like an extension of our hands, so tap into the many apps that have games like Sudoku, crossword puzzles or chess to stimulate your brain. This will help you solve problems. Grow your knowledge by reading articles on subjects to broaden your knowledge and stimulate your mind. Another way to keep your brain sharp is to memorise lists, numbers or sequences to help with memory retention and your brain’s flexibility.
Keep it simple; it’s a choice
Embrace simplicity in your life. You could start with decluttering your home or work space. Surrounded by mess or clutter, it takes valuable brain space. While we may not be conscious of the impact of clutter, our subconscious does. You could do a Marie Kondo on your things – does it give you joy, is it useful, and have you used it in the past six months? Simplicity can start with reorganising your workspace – get rid of the papers and other things on your desk, pop a plant on it, give it a good wipe down, and see how your brain says ‘ahhhhh’.
We are all mad multitaskers these days. Phone in hand, TV on, kids asking for dinner and juggling seven other things at once. Your brain is in a frizz trying to keep up. Instead, focus on completing one task at a time, instead of trying to do things at once. It’ll surprise you how much more productive you will be and less stressed.
Simplicity is also about finding joy in life. When was the last time you had a good belly laugh? Laughter is a natural stress reliever. Go see some life comedy, watch a funny movie or invite some good friends over for dinner, and a giggle.
Let go of fear
Easier said than done. Us on the trail of stress, it will lead to our deepest fear. Tony Robbins explains, “If you’re going to succeed at the highest level, you’ve got to face your fears.” But fears are scary. What are your biggest fears? Are your beliefs limiting or empowering you? Do you push through your fear or let it cripple you? When was the last time you took a moment to pause, breathe, and feel the energy you subconsciously create?
Most of us don’t know how to control our thoughts, so we let them control us. Unfortunately, though, our minds will never make us happy. The truth is we need to unlock our fears because the biggest handbrakes in our life are our beliefs about ourselves and our world as a whole. The challenge with most of our current theories is that they develop subconsciously. Although this can be scary, if we can uncover those habits that restrict the unleashing of our true potential, it can also be one of the most exciting processes of our lives. So empowering!
In your moments of fear, it’s impossible to love yourself, be happy, or be as successful as you want. When you believe in yourself, this confidence is fuel for your brain.
That’s why this last suggestion is important.
Celebrate your wins
No matter how small they may seem – whether it’s completing a task, finishing a course, or taking an afternoon off to do something you love. Moments of gratitude, and recognition of all you do, is a great confidence booster. People are not good at celebrating their wins. Most choose to gloss over them as unimportant or unworthy of celebration. But they are worth acknowledging and as a reminder of how far you have come.
None of these suggestions are new, but the reason they keep coming up is because they WORK. You just have to decide if you are important enough to incorporate these into your day.
It’s a challenge to break away from habits, especially when time seems to slip through our fingers in a hectic schedule. The pursuit of perfection can also get in the way, and instant gratification is a slippery slope. The fear of failure gives us moments of hesitation. It’s no surprise that sticking to routines can be a struggle.
What’s the secret? Starting with changes. Staying adaptable. Focus on one habit at a time, allowing you the flexibility to adjust along the way.
