Personal Development

When you set off to do something different or out of your usual routine, you can be sure that you’ll encounter challenges along the way. Some of those challenges may be related to learning new habits or exercise. Picking up healthy new habits like exercising for your mental health can help improve your overall sense of well-being. However, that journey won’t be without its fair share of setbacks. What do you do when you find yourself in a tough spot? Kinds of setbacks you can encounter on your exercise journey As you start on your journey toward greater fitness to improve your mental, emotional, and physical health, it won’t necessarily be smooth sailing all the way. To begin with, one of the first challenges you might encounter is deciding what to take up as your form of exercise. Some forms of exercise, such as those that require equipment, may be expensive to get into. In other cases, your health may not allow you to take up certain forms of exercise. Other kinds of obstacles may include getting injured during whatever form of exercise you’ve chosen. That can be a setback because it can take time to heal and become strong enough to pick up where you left off. Sometimes, physical injuries can cause an emotional or mental block, leading to a negative association with that form of exercise or experience that will take time to overcome. Another setback you can experience on your fitness journey is that it can start to feel hard, or even boring. Waking up early, carving out time in your schedule, putting in the effort to do your workout and make sure you’ve planned your meals for balanced nutrition can feel hard or boring. It can lose some of its initial allure as you get [...]

Mental stress is the preoccupation with worries and fears that lead to anxiety and other psychological and physical conditions. It is the inability to turn your mind off when it is time to sleep. It is the worry about something out of your control that causes you to freeze or isolate yourself. It is the fears behind the what-if questions. 6 Tips for Relieving Mental Stress and Anxiety When mental stress gets out of control, the anxiety can derail your daily schedule and relationships. You can take control over your mental stress. Try a few of the following tips for relieving mental stress and anxiety. Get up and move. A powerful anti-anxiety medication is exercise. Endorphins and other brain chemicals are released when you get up and move more consistently, leaving you feeling happy and thinking clearer. The tension in your muscles dissipates as you fill with confidence. You feel on top of the world after a good workout session. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity activity weekly to reap the benefits. Even a brisk 10-minute walk when you are short on time can help. Pause and stretch. Those tense muscles, combined with anxiety, headaches, and stomachaches, can leave you feeling drained and irritable. Instead of going to bed, try a stretching video. Stretching increases serotonin, another brain chemical that regulates mood. You can find stretching videos online or consider taking a local class to learn about proper form. Regular stretching practice is the best way to manage mental stress. Eat healthier meals. The foods you eat play a major role in how you feel. Sugar-laden and fatty foods can leave you feeling sluggish and stressed. Instead of reaching for junk food or pulling into a drive-through, learn to menu plan and make healthy meals at home. [...]