Mental Toughness Episode #9

 

Mental Toughness or an easier softer way is this week's topic.

Life is funny. I can be moving along on life’s balance beam and BAM! My head starts chattering! I would love to tell you it always happens after a major life event, but that is not the case.

Remember to read to the end and download your free offering for the week!

This last time was right after a Spiritual Retreat! You would think that one’s head would be rested, relaxed, rejuvenated or something to that effect... I had the opposite! My head was riddled with fear, thoughts of what the heck I am doing and the list went on!

What does one do when feelings seep into our minds wanting to take over our bodies and keep us stuck in a state paralysis?

I remember hearing for the first time, “feelings are not facts” and wanting to throttle the person that said that to me as I was having feelings of despair one day. Over the last 18+ years, I have had the opportunity to surround myself with people that live in a solution for the problems that life tosses out from time to time. ... people that refuse to stay in the negative misery of whatever situation they encounter. 

These people have shown up in my life as teachers and provided me with this cool toolkit for life. I used to carry a tool kit in the back of my car (it was pink, don’t judge) and every time I looked at that toolkit, I thought of the mental toolkit I have with me at all times.

So this toolkit for life rides around with me, within me. I am given a choice to stay locked into the head chatter, the negativity, the false story my head often tells me, or I can open the tool kit and use one of the tools as a solution.

Ohhhhhh, the tools. They seem so very heavy when the bumps of life or life’s “collisions” appear. Frequently, my body has a difficult time reaching for them because of their overwhelming weight!

Alas, the tools have the answers. The answers to living in the solution. They have never failed me. Something always changes or shifts when the tools are used.

I am opening up my toolkit and sharing with you what works in my life. It worked this week when Fear reared its ugly head. This time, fear tried to convince me to bail on Biz Vizion podcasting.

Fear is like a corroding thread that takes me places I no longer want to live or be around. It tries to justify negative feelings and create believable stories. Not this time! 

 Alaska Tracy’s Tool Kit for Mental Toughness (or an easier softer way to live life):

1. Take 3 actions from your to-do list. Only 3! I know, I know; you have to get it ALL done today. Guess what? It will be there tomorrow. Do 3 things!
2. PAUSE. Yup, pause! Exhaling is good. Inhaling is easy, it is the exhaling that can be troublesome.
3. Read something inspiring.
4. Pray (to whomever or whatever you wish).
5. Meditate. Simple meditation. It can be 5-6 minutes of sitting in a chair staring at a still object. Practice not itching that scratch that is going to pop up, you know it will! Practice, practice, practice daily.
6. Reach out to 2 to 10 people. Don’t complicate it. (This is often the hardest thing to do when I am caught up in Fear.) Be nice to another human. Keep it simple. Go do your errands and smile at others. Ask others how their day is, and, here is the key: listen. Do not engage in telling them about what your head is telling you. Most people don’t want to hear about you; no offense. Most of the human race is more interested in talking about themselves. So ask them. The goal here is to get out of ourselves. Stop thinking of our personal head chatter for just a few minutes. You can email people as well. Again, ask them a question about their life and listen.
7. Calendar time for self-care. ie; retreats, spas, ways to enhance your soul.
8. Diet and rest. You don’t need to really diet. In my experience, they have never really worked. What I mean by diet is eating balanced meals and drinking plenty of water. When in a negative mode, practice limiting sugar intake. Sugar has a way of feeding on negativity.  I am not a doctor or scientist, so I can’t explain this one; however, it has been my experience. Get the amount of sleep that you need to feel rested. This does not mean napping all day.
9. Exercise. You don’t have to run a marathon, hike a mountain or body build. Simple movement is key. A walk in nature will do your soul wonders. Take off your step wristband! Be gentle on yourself! Have a nice leisure walk in nature and give your mind and soul a break.
10. Do a random act of kindness for someone or the planet. It can be as simple as opening up the door for someone or picking up trash on your walk. The goal here is to do it and not tell others. Sometimes by telling others or sharing on social media, we are looking for our ego to be fed. Especially when in Fear, we often look outside ourselves for validation. Look within. You’ve got this!

If you don’t feel any better or notice any shift in your soul after doing any or all of these 10 tasks, do them again the next day! Do them until your soul starts shifting into a state of gratitude. Do them until they become a part of your life. How will you know? You will know they are a part of your life when you start doing them automatically when the negative chatter or life’s turmoils return. You will know when you find yourself sharing them with others. You will know when you become more and more filled with grace and gratitude.

Alaska Tracy's Free Gift to you this week is a life-changing audiobook list compliments of author Roy Huff. Enjoy his life-changing audiobook shortlist! Thanks, Roy! This seemed appropriate this week as his book was just released! Check out Think Smart Not Hard 52 Keys Principles to Success and Happiness. I believe it ties nicely into this week's topic.

As always, if this has been helpful to you and you want to listen to more Biz Vizion with Alaska Tracy please follow over at Itunes, let me know your comments, and I appreciate you sharing.

Interested in being a part of Alaska Tracy’s Facebook Biz Vizion private group? Message alaskatracy@alaskatracy.com for an invite! Topics and discussions on business and inspiration will occur once a week and there will be an opportunity to promote your business, which is a way to grow your business community and more! Thank you. Have a productive and fun week! ~Tracy