Leaf - 101 Ways to Be Less Stressed: Simple Self-Care Strategies to Boost Your Mind, Mood, and Mental Health

Although many of us spend time focusing on our physical health, whether its going to the gym, to a Pilates class, or for a morning jog, we often forget to work on our mental health. Yet the mind is the source of all our thoughts, words, and actions; when our thinking is unhealthy, our life will be unhealthyeven if we work out seven times a week and eat kale every day.

Its very important to spend time focusing on our mental self-care regimen and ways to be less stressed, since mental toughness and resilience will get us through difficult times and help us achieve success in every area of life, as I discuss in my book Think, Learn, Succeed . When our mind is strong, well be able to handle whatever life throws our way; we can go from surviving to thriving.

Of course, life can be very challenging. Were constantly facing stressful situations at work, at home, at school, in the car... you name it! In many cases, our reactions to these situations can make things worse. If we let our thoughts and emotions get the best of us, we can negatively impact both our mental and physical well-being. Uncontrolled thoughts and emotions run rampant through our brain, creating neurochemical chaos that can make us anxious, affecting our ability to think clearly and process information. This is one of the major roadblocks to success and can allow other toxic thinking habits and mental health issues to take root.

Heres the good news: our mind is incredibly powerful and incredibly capable. Our brain can change as we think (neuroplasticity) and grow new brain cells (neurogenesis). Using the incredible power in our mind, we can persist and grow in response to lifes challenges. We can take our thoughts captive and change the way we think, speak, and act.

Our minds are more than prepared to stand up to these trials and overcome themall we have to do is think well . Mentally healthy people can handle all of lifes challenges. By changing our thinking and living a life of mental self-care, we can improve the way we think and how we live.

This book was created as a guide to help you understand the unique power of your mind, your choices, and your impact. It is, essentially, a beginners how-to guide to mental self-care. Its a guide to 101 simple self-care strategies to boost your mind, mood, and mental health. As you reflect on each tip, I recommend the following process: ask , answer , and discuss.

These three actions underscore the intentional and deliberate process of learning that produces intelligent memory, which goes beyond merely reading some information you will forget later (for more on learning and memory formation, see my book Think, Learn, Succeed ).

First, ask . In a journal, write down several questions about the tip youve read. For example, you can ask yourself, Have I ever felt that I wasnt good enough? That I couldnt cope with the circumstances of life? How did I respond? What effect did this have in my life? Your questions are meant to provide a starting point for an internal dialogue, much like questions you and I would ask each other during a day-to-day conversation.

Next, answer . Here you apply the tip to your own life by responding, in detail, to your questions in the ask section. It is important to remember that there are no right or wrong answers in this section. You answer your own questions, which are shaped by your experiences and the unique way you think, feel, and choose (see my book The Perfect You for more information).

Finally, discuss . In your journal, you further examine your own thoughts, words, and actions, considering the mental self-care tip of the day, expanding your observations, and thinking of practical ways you can change your mind and change your life.

So, are you interested in learning how to use the incredible power of your mind to persist and grow in response to lifes challenges? No matter what life throws your way, when you master the art of mental self-care, you will boost your mind, mood, and mental health and achieve success in life.