At present, everyone is concerned regarding physical fitness. Weight loss food, proper diet, morning walk, yoga and all sorts of physical exercise have gained popularity in recent times. Posting workout pics on social media is a new gen trend. But unfortunately, we are not that much expressive about our mental health. Rather, vocalising mental illness is a social stigma. Also we are rarely taught how to be mentally strong and fearless.

The very first time, when I had a taste of mental health issues, I had absolutely no idea about it. Back then, it was really hard for me to acknowledge it. I sensed, there is something about me which is not quite right. I perceived myself as an abnormal person. 

Mental illness leaves you crippled and helpless. It is the worst feeling ever. After all, you have to fight with your own thoughts. What should you do when your mind turns into your greatest enemy ?

So you get stuck in an unending thought loop. You are afraid that, you are never going to live through it ever. You begin to wonder how to be mentally strong and fearless in this untoward world ? That is why mental health is important as much as physical health.

I witnessed really tough period of life. At the same time, I was lucky enough to deal with it timely and come out of it. Here is how to be mentally strong and fearless by acquiring these 9 simple habits.

1. Talk to your close ones

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It is not at all a simple task to discuss your mental health problems with someone. It is likely for you to hesitate to speak out. Because you fear that people will mock you, bully you and judge you. Above all, you don’t want yourself to be labelled as a weak person. Thus you keep mum to protect your self worth.

And there are these people, who instead of backing you, starts taunting you and make things worse. So, it is always crucial to talk to the right set of people. I was fortunate to have family and few close friends who were always empathetic.

2. Listen to great people

There are many people, who are more insightful than you. They have a lifetime experience of dealing with such situations. In those days, I started listening to few great thinkers and speakers. I then assimilated their thoughts and ways into my life.

It was a bit comforting to listen to them. Since, at least it boosted my confidence and  made me realise that ‘I am not alone’.

Here is a list of best motivational quotes by famous people which keep me going whenever I feel low or lost.

3. Read books

To be honest, formerly I used to read mostly study related books. Once in a while, I read novels too. However, I was not a regular reader. Thereupon, I began reading other sort of books as well. These include some spiritual and motivational books.

A book is written by an author who has deep knowledge in the particular subject matter. Hence, its words are analogous to expert advice. Books are like friends who will guide you how to be mentally strong and fearless.

Reading helped me immensely. Here is the list of 12 All time best motivational books that I followed.

4. Write down on paper

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I performed this routine daily. I used to sit and write down whatever came to mind on a blank paper, without holding myself back. On the paper I mentioned each and every trivial detail of my feelings. At the end I used to note down the positive points and the things for which I was grateful.

I used to glance though the paper once, then crush and dump it. This is a way of expressing out myself. I still do it now and then and it works for me. I must admit that such a simple thing like writing down thoughts on paper is one of the best ways to deal with stress positively .

5. Don’t blame

Many a time, I blamed myself for minor issues. But then I discovered that whatever happens, is for a reason. Therefore, I reminded myself “It is not me who is accountable. It is not under my control and is not my fault either. So let it be.” I assured and forgave myself.

Furthermore, there are also people you hold a grudge against, for some reason. Forgive them too. You will be relieved and at peace.

6. Meditation

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What exercise does for ‘body’, meditation does the same for ‘mind’.

I practiced meditation routinely. Though, I was not an expert at it, I followed few simple and practical meditation tips for beginners. Subsequently I managed to control my senses, my emotions and mental ability fairly, through meditation. In the chaos of life, meditation is a must. Everyone should integrate it into his/her routine, for mental well-being.

7. Don’t be too serious

There is a saying ‘Don’t be serious, but be sincere’. I used to be a damn serious kind of person. I chased down perfection in every petty details of whatever I did. And this desire drove me crazy. In due time, I realised being perfect is not mandatory.

It is okey to be humanly and flawed. It is fine, if things are not going how it’s planned. I now embrace life the way it is.

8. Don’t loose confidence

Everyday I convinced myself , ‘I can do it. I can face it and overcome it as well.’ It is always vital for you not to loose faith. Whatever may be the scenario, but bear it in mind that mental illness is treatable.

Additionally, some people may need counselling, psychotherapy and meditations. Regardless of the process, it is fully curable.

9. Have adequate sleep

Changing lifestyle habits and not enough work life balance have impacted our quality of sleep. Additionally excess use of mobile and social media addiction has sidelined our sleep cycle.

But what would happen when we don’t sleep enough ? Well, lack of sleep upsets our mental health the most. 

Sleep and mental health both are intricately related. Sleep loss pushes a person towards mental illness. Furthermore a mentally ill person finds it challenging to sleep soundly. Thereby a viscious cycle of sleeplessness and mental illness continues.

7-8 hours of unmultilated sleep daily is an ideal goal. As sleep is something quite vital for all of us, it’s wise to invest in a good quality mattress at reasonable price. Afterall uninterrupted healthy sleep is a luxury in itself.

Afterthought

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As per one of the mental health awareness quotes , ‘There is no health without mental health’. As per WHO, health includes physical, mental and social well-being.

For me, coming out of mental hassles was not an overnight process. Instead, it was prolonged. Even, after I was settled, a question always bothered me “Why me? Why it has to be me?”

Over time, as I had heart to heart conversation with people, I realised that this issue is  very common indeed. Majority of individuals whom I know, suffered from either anxiety or depression or some other form of mental disorders, at some point of time. 

Mental disease is way more prevalent than we realise. It’s concealed, as people don’t speak up their mind. In US, 1 in every 5 adults lives with a mental illness (SAMHSA) . In world, one person commits suicide every 40 seconds, because of mental depression (WHO). That’s the reason why mental health is important.

‘Mental health issue’ is the deadliest pandemic today. Sadly we do not have a study curriculum in place to teach us how to be mentally strong and fearless. If you are suffering from mental health issue too then, you are not abnormal or weak or a failure. You are just human.

Share this post among your friends and let them know how to be mentally strong and fearless. Help yourself and help people around you to deal with it. Be compassionate and be kind. Give your suggestion on how to be mentally strong and fearless in the comment section below.

ALSO READ : 7 Ways how to lift your mood instantly

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