Mental

Do you have mental strength? The world is chaotic, and you are either at a position where you’re struggling or going through life as a superhero. Your daily concerns are all over the place, from dirty dishes to global warming.

It seems that it’s almost impossible for you not to let the problems of the day get to you. It will help if you improve your mental strength by keeping your stress levels in check. If you want to have a productive and healthy life, then you must do this monumental task for you and others.

Ten Ways to Enhance Your Mental Strength

Have you ever been to the doctor and was told that you need to reduce stress? It seems like such a simple thing, but most people find it completely overwhelming. You can reduce your stress and protect your mental health by engaging in these ten simple things.

1. Set Boundaries

Do you have a hard time saying “no” to people? Why is it that you always try to take on more than you can handle because you’re afraid that you might upset someone? It would help if you learned how to use the word “no” to protect your mental strength.

If you’re having a hard time with the concept, then practice in front of a mirror. Say things like, “No, I will not work overtime or take on any more tasks.” When you practice this independence in private, you’ll be more apt to use it in public. Learn to set boundaries so that you don’t become overwhelmed with extra tasks.

2. Recite Positive Affirmations

A wise old proverb says that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he, so you must be careful that you’re not full of negativity. Did you know that negativity can affect your mental health? Recite positive affirmations daily.

When you first get out of bed in the morning, try saying the following things:

• I will accomplish all of my goals.
• I am a fantastic person.
• I’m loved by my family and friends.
• I am a productive individual.
• I feel great.
• I’m going to have a great day.

When you start feeding your inner man with positivity, you will be amazed at the outcome. Start your day on a positive note even if you got up on the “wrong side of the bed.”

3. Stop Overthinking

Why do people tend to overthink? Rather than waiting for the verdict, you’re borrowing trouble from tomorrow. It’s like getting test results on a suspicious lump you have on your body.

Before the results come in, you’ve already got yourself on chemotherapy and writing your goodbye letters. The fact is that it might be something simple that isn’t malignant, but if you don’t stop overthinking every detail, you will drive yourself crazy.

4. Use Self-Care

Remember one thing in life you cannot pour out of an empty cup. If you want to take care of others and do an excellent job at work, you must learn to practice self-care. Make time for you each day, even if it’s only 30 minutes.

5. Practice Deep Breathing

Do you ever feel like you have a significant weight on your chest? Stress, panic, and anxiety can make you feel overloaded. Thankfully, when you practice deep breathing, you’re releasing that tension you feel.

You can use many methods when you do deep breathing, but the most common way is to inhale to the count of seven, hold the breaths for a count of seven, and then release them slowly for the count of seven. It’s a simple yet amazingly effective exercise.

6. Be Grateful

Do you ever sit back and count your blessings and be grateful for all the things you’ve been given? Did you wake up and take a warm shower, eat breakfast, and get into a nice car to drive to work?

Do you have family and friends who love and support you for whatever life throws your way? Do you have food in your cabinets and money in your checking account? Many people are homeless, and they could only dream about having a small portion of the things you have. Be grateful for what the universe has given you.

7. Exercise

One of the best ways to protect your mental strength is by engaging in exercise each day. You only need about 20 minutes to work out, but the effects it has on your brain is astounding.

Research shows that when you are working out, you’re releasing feel-good endorphins in your brain. You’re also increasing the production of vital neurotransmitters that regulate your moods like dopamine and serotonin. You should add a healthy diet to your day that has little carbohydrates and sugars.

The more protein and healthy fats you consume, along with your workout plan, can keep you in an adequate space and protect your mental strength.

8. Get Fresh Air

There’s something tranquil about a breath of fresh air? Air is life, and you need it to survive. Research shows that when many people have a panic attack and feel those fight or flight sensations kicking in, they often run to the outdoors.

There’s something magical about Mother Nature and her ability to calm you almost instantly. When life seems to overwhelm you, then you should go outside and look up into the heavens. Feel the golden rays of sun shining on your face and breathe in the flowers’ aroma and other fresh scents.

9. Engage in Yoga

You probably hear a lot of hype about yoga as a workout. However, most people have no clue the power it has on your mental health. Yoga first helps you to form a sense of self. It will then move you into a better place by altering you from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic nervous system.

Many studies have been conducted on this art form, and the results are overwhelmingly positive. Researchers show that it gives you mental clarity and helps with depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses. Additionally, they have found that it has a profound effect on post-traumatic stress sufferers too.

Learning breathing techniques and body movements can do a world of good for your mental state. The great thing about this art form is that it can be modified for all body types and endurance levels.

10. Practice Positive Thinking

Are you a “Negative Nelly” or do you see yourself as a “Positive Pearl?” It’s hard to be positive in life with destruction on every corner. Do you ever feel like you want to throw in the towel?

Many people want to give up, but that isn’t an option. You can change how you feel by only using positive thinking skills. Sure, the electric bill was $200 more than you budgeted for the month. However, you should be thankful that you even have electricity.

In some third world countries, the electricity comes and goes. You have heat to keep you warm and air conditioning to keep you cool. Those in such nations would love to have the pleasure of a comfortable home with an HVAC system.

When you change your mindset from negative to positive, you will see a world of difference in your overall wellbeing. Feelings of gratitude and mindfulness enhance your mental strength. Look at each situation you face daily, and though bad it may seem, you should try to find something positive.

Remember that some of the worst storms end with a rainbow. When the skies begin to clear, and the sun’s rays hit the water droplets, it displays one of the most beautiful sights in nature. Stay positive and focused no matter what life throws your way.

Final Thoughts on Gathering Up Your Mental Strength to Face Tough Times

It seems like the world is in chaos, and people struggle to find harmony in their lives. How do you combat the pressures of the world without losing your cool? The ten tips above can help you to protect your mental strength in times of adversity, and you should utilize as many as possible.

One of the most potent inspirational stories comes from the man who wrote the song “It Is Well with My Soul.” Horatio Spafford was someone who struggled and came through insurmountable troubles in life. He lost his business and his 4-year old son in the fires of Chicago in 1871.

Spafford struggled along until 1873 when even greater financial struggles hit his company. He decided to take a trip with his family on the SS Ville du Havre ship. A last-minute change of plans caused him to send his family ahead, and he would follow later.

Sadly, the ship collided with the Loch Earn in the Atlantic Ocean, and all four of his daughters perished. Anna, his wife, survived the incident, and she sent him a telegram to let him know she was alive. He immediately went to be with her. As the ship entered the area where his daughters had perished, he wrote the famous song.

Like Spafford, you can learn to sing even when things look their worst. This man lost everything he had and suffered more problems in his life than anyone could imagine. Yet, in the middle of the darkest of nights, he found a song in his heart. Is your mental strength like Spafford’s?

Life is full of things that stress you out. Work, bills, social life, kids, spouses – it can all be so demanding. It comes at you like a train going full speed ahead. A good mental health day is almost always the answer.

This is especially true if you have kids and even worse if you have more than one kid. You love them, and they love you. This doesn’t mean that you should be embarrassed to want a break from them.

Unfortunately, for a lot of parents, that break never comes. Many parents don’t make it a priority to take a mental health day to relieve themselves of all the stressors they deal with. They use their kids as an excuse as to why they can’t take time out for themselves.

If this is you, it’s good that you’re reading this article. You need to know why it’s imperative that you give yourself the occasional mental break. Here’s what counselors have to say about it.

Why You Should Take a Mental Health Day

As a parent, you’ll often put your kids first. Your needs get put on the back burner until you get some free time (which doesn’t come very often). You may find that your list of requirements keeps getting longer and longer.

Although you may be the best at managing stressful situations, that doesn’t mean you should continuously do it. The effects of stress can creep up on you and even impact your relationship with your children. You may not realize how stressed you are until you’re on the verge of having a breakdown.

Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., president & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, says it’s common for people not to realize how stressed they are. “Often people minimize the stress they are under, the effect it has, and don’t take action,” he says. This pressure is hazardous to your health.

The problem with ongoing stress is that your body never has a chance to settle down. According to Dr. Borenstein, the human body is designed to deal with short-term stress, not long-term stress. No matter how well you handle stress, it’s still stress.

Taking a mental health day ensures that you get a break from stress. This way, even if you don’t realize you’re stressed, you’re still getting a break. It doesn’t make you a bad parent to put yourself first. In fact, doing so helps to teach your children good stress management.

When You Should Take a Mental Health Day

The time to take a break may not be evident because, as stated before, you may not realize how stressed you are. Because of this, you should schedule these days regularly. However, there are a few signs that can let you know if you’re stressed out. Some of them include:

• Jaw or tooth pain
• Expanding waistline
• Having a hard time focusing/concentrating
• You keep having headaches
• Trouble sleeping

If you notice that any of this is happening to you, it’s time to take a day to yourself. These few symptoms are manageable, but not taking care of them can cause worse symptoms that will impact your health as well as your relationship with your family.

Once you realize how important it is to take a day to yourself, you’ll probably wonder when the best time is for your day. Scheduling your day can be just as stressful as anything else in your life.

Just keep in mind that scheduling is the key. If you make a plan and plan far enough ahead of time, you can make sure that things will be handled while you’re having your day. The last thing you need to be worried about is who’s taking care of your kids and your household while you’re doing you.

A failure to plan will lead to you feeling guilty about putting yourself first. Guilty feelings lead to stress, and this can cause you to cancel your day. It’s imperative that you make a plan so you can have a peaceful mental health day.

One great way to start your plan is by picking a day that your spouse is off from work. This will ensure that you have someone to watch your kids when you’re not around. If you’re a single parent, try picking a day when a friend or family member is fully available for the entire day.

If you don’t have either of those options, you may have to hire a babysitter. You could save money by picking a day when your kids go to school—that way, the babysitter only needs to be there in the evening.

How You Should Take a Mental Health Day

While you’re planning the date, you should also plan your activities. However, don’t plan a strict schedule. A strict schedule could make you stressed if you can’t stick with it.

You should expect your day to be relaxing above all else. To do that, you need to figure out what you need most of all to rest.

Do you need complete solitude? Perhaps you need more time with your loved ones? A massage is a classic choice.

Whatever it is that you need, put that at the top of your activities list. Try focusing anything else you do that day around your priority. Think of some activities that will relax you and help you have a peaceful day.

Even if you decide to do that one activity, that’s okay. The goal is to renew yourself. But to do that, you’ll need complete peace of mind. Just make sure that you take the whole day to yourself, even if it’s to do that one thing.

Here Are Three Positive Activities to Help You Enjoy a Relaxing Day

You can take your mental health day alone, with friends, or with your partner. Modify these activities to suit your lifestyle.

1 – Treat Yourself to a Day at the Spa

Enjoy a pampering retreat, either alone or with your partner.   Enjoy a manicure-pedicure service, massage, and facial masks. While these services might feel decadent, remember that you deserve it! This self-care is essential to well-being.

2 – Connect with Mother Nature

Do you live near a beach, National Park, or mountains? Grab some of your friends, pack a picnic, and hit the bicycling or hiking trails they offer to visitors. Getting your heart rate pumping as you engage in these activities will invigorate you. And, the grand vistas you see along the way are food for the soul.

3 – Explore Cultural Activities

If you are not the “outdoorsy” type, consider a day trip to a nearby city. Open your mind to learning by exploring their cultural offerings. Do they have an art museum, historic district to explore or live theater? Are any festivals happening that you would enjoy? Expand your mind. That focus on learning new things will entertain you as well as engaging your mind.

What You Shouldn’t Do on Your Mental Health Day

The objective is to have a peaceful day that renews you and gets you ready to face your stressors with a clear head. So far, you’ve been told what you should do during your day. However, there are some things that you shouldn’t do either.

1 – Illegal Drugs

You should never do illegal substances. For starters, it’s illegal. Doing anything against the law is a bad idea. Plus, getting arrested is going to stress you out more than anything your kids could do. Doing drugs while you’re already under pressure can lead to a higher risk of debilitating addiction. Then the drugs will cause even more stress on your mental and physical health. It’s a vicious cycle that can have devastating effects on your life.

2 – Infidelity

Infidelity never ends well. Sure, you may feel good on that day or that night, but eventually, the truth will come out. When it does, it will cause more stress than you could ever imagine.

The stress will come from guilty feelings, but more of it will come from the effects that the infidelity will have on your spouse. Talal Alsaleem, an expert infidelity counselor, says that infidelity causes “…triggers, flashbacks, hypervigilance, avoidance behavior, and manifestations related to the knowledge about the affair and everything related to the affair.” Dealing with this type of fall out in an already stressed marriage could be enough to push you over the edge.

If you’re tempted to cheat on your spouse, perhaps what you need to schedule is marriage counseling instead of a mental health day (you may need both). Communication can significantly reduce stress between you and your spouse.

3 – Overspending the Family Funds

Going shopping is a great way to relieve stress unless one of your regular stressors is finances. The last thing you want to do is aggravate your stress when you’re supposed to be relaxing. If money is a problem in your life, try to plan your day with activities that are free or low-cost.

Even if money isn’t a common issue for you, overspending can stress you out once you’ve realized how much money you wasted. Joel L. Young M.D., medical director of the Rochester Center for Behavioral Medicine, compares overspending to using drugs. He says that even if people have unlimited funds to spend money, overspending can lead to feelings of guilt or shame, hoarding, and undermining relationships.

Enjoy your day, but don’t bring more stress on yourself by spending unnecessary money. There are plenty of ways to do you without breaking your wallet.

Final Thoughts on Why Parents Should Take an Occasional Mental Health Day

You’ll always be Super Mom or Super Dad to your kids. However, remember that you’re human. You get stressed out, and that’s okay.

What’s not okay is ignoring the fact that you need a break. Even if you handle stressful situations well, you need to renew your mental health every once in a while. Not doing so will begin to affect you and your family in ways you may not even notice.

Focusing on your mental health is setting an excellent example for your kids. After all, you wouldn’t want your kids to subject themselves to constant stress, right? Taking the occasional mental health day will keep you in the right frame of mind to continue being the best parent you can be.

Do you feel insulted, or perhaps your self-esteem has been reduced to flakes? Sometimes it’s the constant downplaying of your independence and dignity from your spouse that keeps your eyes wet most of the night. For a majority of people, emotional and mental abuse persists for extended periods as it doesn’t leave physical marks.

Mental abuse is often insidious, easy to cover, and can go undetected by close friends, family members, and even with the victim themselves. Unlike physical and sexual abuse, emotional abuse can be confusing. In this piece, we will discuss some of the commonly hidden signs of emotional abuse that should be clear tell-tales that you need to run.

10 Hidden Signs of Mental Abuse

If these sound like you, it could be time to make some hard decisions.

1 – Over-protectiveness

At the beginning of the relationship, when your spouse consistently communicates and checks-in to see how you are fairing, it may seem caring. The genuine concern could sweep your feet away, especially if you had been craving for an emotionally invested partner. Nonetheless, it’s easy for your partner to cross the line and turn these behaviors into harassment.

As time goes by, you may notice that your spouse intrudes on your personal space, threatens you when you don’t pick up your phone or text back immediately. A toxic partner will demand an ongoing account of your daily whereabouts and could even limit where you go and who you spend your time with. The relentless suffocation and harassment shouldn’t be confused for being concerned and caring.

2 – Negative criticizing and humiliation

The abuser may have mastered the art of undermining your self-esteem and confidence in several ways. At first, it begins as “jokes” that shouldn’t move or anger you in any way. They continue to manifest into unrelenting and harsh criticisms that could break you into pieces. How do you spot this?

Toxic partners will ridicule your appearance, lifestyle choices, spending habits, and personal decisions. Your spouse may say out-rightly hurtful things about you and sugarcoat them as “jokes.” Sarcastic remarks have boundaries and shouldn’t make you feel bad about yourself.

You may also notice that your toxic partner turns down all efforts that go into pointing out these harsh criticisms and humiliation. Your spouse may bring up earlier incidences where they made these jokes, and you didn’t confront them, he or she could make you second-guess yourself or shut you off by saying that you are overreacting. You aren’t crazy: if you feel humiliated about a partner’s comment, it’s time to table your emotions and thoughts.

3 – Hot and cold affection

Do you find yourself in the middle of cold wars always? While it’s common to argue with your partner about various things throughout your relationship, it’s not healthy for them to withhold affection, sex, or finances when you don’t comply with them. You’ve probably noticed that your spouse becomes hostile, cold, and irritated based on their emotions.

Their love is selfish and mainly relies on your willingness to bend your thoughts on a specific subject. This kind of affection is typically manipulative and aims at controlling you. You will often find yourself walking on eggshells to avoid disappointing or enraging them.

If you find yourself always self-editing or second-guessing yourself around them, it means you’ve recognized the mental abuse in your unhealthy relationship. Nonetheless, you have taken up the job to comfort their emotions first, all the time, equating to emotional abuse.

4 – Unfair blame game

Take a few minutes to recall how your arguments resolve. Are you always taking the blame for everything that goes wrong in your relationship? How many times have you received an apology for a wrong done to you?

In emotionally abusive cases, you are probably taking all the blame, and your partner hardly takes the blame mantle; it’s always your fault. In some cases, when the blame entirely falls on your spouse, he or she becomes manipulative, turns down the responsibility of accepting the mistake, and puts it on others. You are continually arguing and settling down arguments with a toxic partner who will never admit they made a mistake.

Over time, this form of emotional abuse gradually grows, and you may start to think that there’s something wrong with you. You may begin to reason that you aren’t good enough to keep your spouse calm and that their behaviors are justified. You eventually view yourself as an imperfect party while they take the perfect mantle.

5 – Your partner makes you feel small

It takes years of building confidence in yourself, and no one should belittle you into thinking otherwise. Unfortunately, mentally abusive partners usually are into the habit of downgrading and putting down their partners, which can be less apparent in the relationship’s initial stages. According to therapists, this is a tactic used by the abuser to garner control and power in a relationship.

Pay attention to how your spouse reacts to your achievements and strengths. Most abusers will show little or no interest in your progress. However, they will exploit every weakness or vulnerability.

You may also note many disturbing comments that belittle you and your accomplishments. They may also compare you and your strengths to other people to make you feel inadequate. With more passing time, your self-esteem can slowly diminish to become a shadow of itself.

6 – Placing ultimatums

As earlier discussed, a toxic partner is naturally manipulative and gets to reveal himself or herself within the course of the relationship. A threat doesn’t necessarily mean that you will have a gun to your head. On the contrary, you will be forced to do something against your will despite knowing that the decision or move doesn’t make you happy.

Have you found yourself doing things that don’t make you happy so that you can maintain the smile on your toxic partner’s face? Does your spouse threaten to leave you if you fail to adhere to their desires and wants? Placing ultimatums in your relationship is a clear indication that you are in an emotionally abusive commitment where everything that matters depends on your partner’s wants and needs entirely.

7 – What’s in the past doesn’t remain in the past

As it should be, once you’ve discussed an argument and forgiven each other, the incidence should be buried. Easier said than done with most mental abuse cases. Emotional abusive people are always in the habit of holding and reviving grudges to maintain some sort of control and power in an unhealthy relationship.

You may notice that your spouse goes into defensive mode when they are in the wrong. They will quickly overturn facts through reviving past mistakes and incidences to defend their behavior and regard themselves as “good and justified.”

Eventually, you will find yourself arguing about the same thing over and over again, and nothing resolves completely. High chances are you will always take the blame to avoid dragging the argument.

8 – One-sided relationship

A one-sided relationship is a dangerous relationship. It mainly involves one party putting all the effort, time, and energy into making it work and keeping the other happy. It’s never reciprocated. In many cases, the one putting in all the effort often is the victim of mental abuse.

Look at it more like a bully forcing you to make them happy and satisfied while they do nothing to make you happy in return. This manipulative tactic is common among people who get comfortable in a relationship once they know their spouse is already engaged in it. In the end, the victim loses a lot more, including themselves, into the one-sided relationship.

9 – You find yourself apologizing for things you haven’t done

Do you find yourself apologizing for things your toxic partner forcefully accuses you of? Mental abusers have a way of getting into your head, manipulating you, and coercing you into apologizing for something you haven’t done.

Here’s an example. You decide to catch up with a friend or workmate and fail to pick his or her call. Therefore, your spouse may conclude you are cheating.

With receipts and accusations all geared at forcing you to confess that you cheated, you could end up apologizing for something your toxic partner framed and made-up. If you find yourself in a situation where you have to bend your truth to accommodate your partner’s accusations, things need to change. These continued habits could force you into isolation and self-doubt.

10 – Putting on an act

Mental abuse can seemingly last for ages, mainly because the abuser acts personable, attractive, and charming in public. This makes it hard to explain the real picture to friends and family who have a different perspective on the individual. This is the same reason why victims fall into their abusers’ arms as the abuser initially sweeps off their feet before revealing his or her true identity.

Would you describe your spouse as the same person both in public and when they are with you? If your answer is confusing, you probably have an abuser for a partner. Mental abusers are willing to put on an act for as long as the victim plays along.

Final thoughts on mental abuse

Unlike verbal, physical, and sexual abuse, mental abuse typically lasts longer. The abuse is silent, and victims unsuspecting. If not rectified immediately, the violence often culminates into physical abuse after taking a significant toll on your mental health. Recognize these signs of mentally abusive relationship. Indeed, you could help yourself or a loved one to walk out of a dangerous and disastrous relationship.

If you thought you could predict everything about your life, you’ve probably already figured out that you’re wrong. Life is unpredictable and will throw curveballs along the way. You can find strength in many places, but that’s life quotes for mental strength is one of the easiest ways.

Throughout life, you’ll likely make plans and thing you have everything all figured out. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always go as planned.

Right now is when you need to pick up the pieces and figure out a new plan. If the plan is staying the same, you have to decide to try again. No matter the course you take, these that’s life quotes that give you mental strength may help.

That’s Life Quotes to Make You Mentally Stronger

1. “The problem with having problems is that ‘someone’ always has it worse.” – Tiffany Madison, in Black and White

It’s a part of life that there are problems and, even still, someone else will always have it worse. This reason is why you can’t compare your troubles to someone else’s concerns.
Since there should be no comparison, remind yourself that your troubles are all yours. Remember that you could always have it worse and just focus on getting through the problem.

2. “Each day is born with a sunrise and ends in a sunset, the same way we open our eyes to see the light and close them to hear the dark. You have no control over how your story begins or ends. But by now, you should know that all things have an ending. Every spark returns to darkness. Every sound returns to silence. And every flower returns to sleep with the earth. The journey of the sun and moon is predictable. But yours is your ultimate ART.” – Suzy Kassem

Although you have no control over the beginning or end of your life, each moment is a piece of your life’s art.

Think of all the moments Kassem mentioned in her quote. Each moment is uncontrollable but still beautiful and unique. Think of this when there are moments in life when you can’t control the outcome.

3. “It takes energy, mental toughness, and spiritual reinforcement to successfully deal with life’s opportunities, and to reach your objectives.” – Zig Ziglar

You have to stay strong despite any obstacles or events that stand in your way. Remain strong, and you will get through whatever life has planned for you. Then, you’ll reach your goal and have even more to be proud of than if the path had been easy.

4. “The shadows of life add depth and dimension to our journey, like route markers along our path. They are never intended to dominate our life with darkness; neither do they determine our ultimate destiny.” – Anthon St. Maarten

Things happen in life that you hadn’t hoped for or predicted. This disappointment is okay and normal because it’s all just a simple fact of life.

These moments aren’t supposed to put a damper on your life, and they’re not meant to ruin it. Instead, these moments are intended to put you on the path that was meant for you. They’re intended to be a part of your story and your destiny.

5. “We love being mentally strong, but we hate situations that allow us to put our mental strength to good use.” – Mokokoma Mokhonoana

Instead of hating the moments that require you to be mentally strong, embrace them. Think of those times as a chance to show the depth of your mental strength. Without encountering these moments, your mental strength will never develop further.

6. “A journey away from yourself does not exist. Embrace your strength and vulnerabilities. This could be the greatest lesson you can ever learn.” – J.R. Incer, in Mastering Success: The Key to Self-Empowerment and Higher Consciousness

You can’t escape yourself, nor should you want to. Each moment that tests you has the potential to be the best life lesson. Accept the parts of yourself that you cannot change and use the lessons to reach your full potential.

7. “If we never experience the chill of a dark winter, it is very unlikely that we will ever cherish the warmth of a bright summer’s day. Nothing stimulates our appetite for the simple joys of life more than the starvation caused by sadness or desperation. In order to complete our amazing life journey successfully, it is vital that we turn each and every dark tear into a pearl of wisdom, and find the blessing in every curse.”
– Anthon St. Maarten, in Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny

Without the hard times, you’ll experience in life, you’ll never know how great the good times can be. It’s the hard times that make the happy times worth it. This is all part of your life, so make the most of it.

8. “When you’re different, sometimes you don’t see the millions of people who accept you for what you are. All you notice is the person who doesn’t.” – Jodi Picoult

In life, everyone is different from the next person. Even so, many people love you for who you are.
Unfortunately, as Picoult said, you may fixate on one person who doesn’t appreciate who you are. Try to avoid that trap, because what makes you different is what makes you great.

9. “The ability to continue moving when you are feeling scared, fearful or lazy is the sign of true mental strength.” – Matthew Donnelly

Life will get in the way of your goals. You’ll feel many different negative emotions. To get mental strength, you’ll have to push through and keep going for the goal.

10. “Just pick a goal, a goal you truly want to achieve, and take a clear-eyed look at your weaknesses – not so you’ll feel less confident, but so you can determine exactly what you need to work on. Then get to work. Celebrate small successes. Analyze your weaknesses. Keep going. As you gain skill, you’ll also gain a feeling of genuine confidence, one that can never be taken away – because you’ve earned it.” – Unknown

To reach your goal, you have to address your weak points. You need to do this so that you are more prepared for what’s to come. This way you can work harder on those weaknesses, and the small victories along the way will be even better.

11. “Some of us aren’t meant to belong. Some of us have to turn the world upside down and shake the hell out of it until we make our own place in it.” – Elizabeth Lowell, in Remember Summer

As mentioned before, everyone is different in their way. You aren’t meant to be just like anyone else, so you won’t always belong.

When this is the case, you have to do things your way to find where you belong. You will find that place, though, if you just keep figuring it out.

12. “Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles, and less than perfect conditions. So what? Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident, and more and more successful.” – Mark Victor Hansen

Life is never perfect, and nothing ever plays out the way it was planned. Things are always slightly off. Just keep moving forward and those obstacles won’t seem so huge anymore.

13. “At the end of your struggles, challenges, and obstacles comes the mental strength to cross many boundaries in the future.” – Edmond Mbiaka

As long as you keep trying and never give up, you’ll find the mental strength you need to go on. There are no boundaries that cannot be crossed as long as you stay strong.

14. “Maybe life is playing the role it should: forever taking us on a journey where it makes it impossible for us to predict what will happen next.” – Nico J. Genes

Life is unpredictable, and that’s the way it’s supposed to be. As long as you play along and keep rolling with the unexpected, you’ll be just fine.

15. “The wilderness journey is about transformation. For you, it could be a personal, spiritual, or professional drought. A desert season of confusion, frustration, and unproductivity. It’s an in between stage. Something significant has ended or begun. Yet it provides opportunity for expansion, wisdom, and joy.” – Dana Arcuri, in Sacred Wandering: Growing Your Faith In The Dark

No matter what life has given you, know that the hard times are only leading to something more. Those hard times are what you will learn from. The learning experiences will give you all the tools you need to work on the next step of life.

Final Thoughts on That’s Life Quotes That Give You Mental Strength

Life is highly unpredictable. Even after working so hard for something, it can disappear in an instant. While this may be hard to accept, it’s a part of life.

These that’s life quotes may give you the mental strength you need to proceed in your life. Don’t give up. Keep trying no matter what comes your way.

There are few things worse than being under quarantine. You want to provide safety for you and your family, which means utilizing shelter-in-place protocols. However, while you may shield yourself from outside exposures to various viruses and toxins, you must stay positive. By keeping a positive mindset, you will protect your mental health too.

10 Tips for Stay Positive and Protect Your Mental Health

If you ask any mental health professional, they will tell you that if you want to avoid depression, then you need to get out from behind four walls. When you’re under quarantine, you can’t do that as easily. Thankfully, here are ten tips to help you ride out the storm and keep your sanity.

1. Get Plenty of Time Outside to Help Stay Positive

Nothing can give you a better boost in your mood than sunshine. The sun provides ample doses of Vitamin D, which is something your body desperately needs. There’s no reason to stay inside when the weather is beautiful outside.

The key to being outside is to maintain your distance between other folks, while still allowing everyone to enjoy parks and other public spaces. During social distancing, you always want to observe the rules of the quarantine. However, you can play ball, walk hiking trails, and enjoy all that Mother Nature has to offer.

2. Tackle Household Projects

Do you have tons of little projects around your house that you’ve never got around to doing? Well, being off during the quarantine offers you plenty of downtimes. Why not paint the stairwell or the master bedroom, or can you build that deck you’ve wanted for years?

When the world opens back up and is going at an accelerated speed, you will appreciate all the time you had to work on these projects. Most hardware stores are open for your home repair needs. Head over to the paint department and see what new hue you can splash on your walls.

3. Dive into Spring Cleaning

The adage states that a clean home is a happy home. You’ll be able to stay positive after the restrictions lift by having a better-organized household. Since you want to ensure your family’s health anyway, why not tear out all those closets and wash the curtains? Spring cleaning can be something you get the whole family involved in doing.

Remember to pull out the stove and refrigerator and clean behind those significant appliances. It might be a great time also to have the carpets shampooed and give your abode a deep clean.

4. Engage in an Excellent Novel

When it comes to mental health, there are few things as beneficial as a good book. You can transport yourself to another time and place by simply reading a captivating story. If you want to be anywhere but stuck at home, why not join an adventurous story that will engage your mind.

If you have children at home, then you should encourage them to read. Why not have a family book night where you all read a novel a few chapters at a time? You can have some really engaging conversation when you’re all excited and hearing a story come to life.

5. Catch up with Friends and Family

While you may not be able to see your friends and family during quarantine, you can still communicate. Thanks to the power of technology, you can use apps that allow you to have video phone calls.

Since you can’t be there in person, then a video call is the next best thing. Catch up with siblings and relatives both near and far. Technology can bridge the gaps between you and your loved ones, and you can find out all the happenings in their life.

6. Join an Online Support Group to Feel Less Isolated During Quarantine

Some people handle being in lockdown better than others. If you feel that you are on edge and about to have a break, then it’s best to reach out to others for support. The internet is full of people that are experiencing the same emotions as you, and they can be a great source of comfort.

You must remember that your feelings are not abnormal and that many people are having a hard time with sheltering-in-place. Online support groups using apps like Zoom can make you feel as if you are attending a meeting. Seeing all the other faces and hearing their stories can make you think that you’re not alone, and you have someone’s shoulder to cry on.

7. Use Humor as Much as Possible

Much research has gone into the effects of humor on the body’s health. It’s hard to stay blue if you’re laughing. Many people are using Tik Tok to create funny videos.

Could you be the next great chef, or would you like to create a hilarious video using your children and their abilities? You can create anything you want and share it with the world. When you’re laughing and smiling, it helps to pass the time.

Also, your videos can help someone else who may be going through a difficult time right now. Sign up for a daily joke and watch some of the hilarious videos that have gone viral because of their great content.

8. Turn Off the News and Put Down the Phone

In times of uncertainty, it’s important that we only get the right amount of news. You don’t want to burden yourself with all the negativity. Rather, you need to focus on the things that are important for you and your family.

It’s also of supreme importance that you limit your children’s interaction with social media. While video games and watching YouTube are all great things, there should be limits placed on them for mental wellness.

You and your children need to be spending time together playing board games, running in the wind, and cooking dinner together. Putting so much negativity into your spirit can really start to cause issues for your psyche. It’s okay to leave the TV off for a day and have everyone put their cell phones in a box.

9. Stay Positive by Establishing a Comfortable Routine

Daily habits are there because they are important. During quarantine periods, things get all mixed up, and your schedule gets off. However, if your timetable is really off, then it can really mess with your mental wellness.

No matter how hard it is to get out of bed, you must get up at a decent hour. Sleeping in should be no later than 9 am. Also, you and your children should get dressed, brush your teeth and hair, and be presentable for each day. Not only will you look better, but you will feel better when you are up and have completed your daily routine.

When it comes to your children, you must have some patience and understanding when dealing with them. They don’t comprehend what’s going on and why they are at home so much. They will have behavioral issues, and they will not be perfect angels.

Be sure that you react with kindness and understanding. While everyone needs to follow the rules, you can extend some leniency due to the circumstances. Just keep reminding yourself and your family that this will all soon be over.

10. Stay Positive by Finding a Safe Retreat

All this togetherness is sometimes overwhelming. You can and should spend as much time with your children as you can. Those little moments playing a board game or watching them learning to ride a bike will be precious to you one day. However, there are times when you need a little solace.

Do you have a sacred space where you can go and meditate for a while? Meditation should be one of your new daily habits during the shelter-in-place orders. Many studies show how beneficial meditation can be for your mind, body, and soul. Plus, during these sessions, you can learn to get rid of negative feelings and channel positive ones.

If you don’t have a designated space where you can go to escape the world, then you need to go outside and take a walk. Don’t ever underestimate the power of sunshine, fresh air, peace, and quiet. It’s healing beyond measure. Make sure you get at least a half-hour of uninterrupted me time each day.

Final Thoughts: Stay Positive and Make the Best of a Tough Situation

It’s important to remember that your children are looking to you during this time of uncertainty. If you are anxious and upset, then they will copy your emotions. However, if you use this time for something good, like spending lots of time together, then they will be happy and playful.

Being under quarantine is not easy for the strongest person. If you feel that you are getting to a point where you need help, then reach out to your doctor or a therapist. There are extra resources in place to help people who struggle with depression and anxiety, as well as other mental illnesses.

The only way to get through a difficult time is by doing things that you love most. So make that gourmet meal, go for a ride on your bike, and by all means, take a nap to rejuvenate yourself. Whatever it is that makes you happy–just stay positive.

5 Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Dancing as an Adult

There are few things in the world that are as distinct to humans as dancing. While some animals react to music in a variety of ways, dancing is a beautiful form of expression unique to our species.

The health and mental benefits of dance are numerous, and there are seemingly endless types to choose from.

If you can only think of ballroom dancing or salsa as an option, it’s time to reimagine the world of dance.

Once you explore and find the perfect dancing class or studio for your interests, you too can begin to experience the benefits of dance.

Read on to learn five of the top dance benefits, and how this fun activity can promote both mental and physical health as an adult.

Top Five Physical and Mental Dance Benefits

While nearly all forms of exercise are clearly beneficial for mood, health, and wellness, dancing is one that can motivate you to keep up with it because it’s so fun!

Moreover, there are specific benefits in jiving to your favorite song that extends beyond what other activities provide.

Find out more below on why dancing can change your entire life through its combination of positive outcomes.

1. Improve Coordination

The tasks of every day – walking, sitting, stairs, and even common workouts – tend to focus on the same muscle groups.

Dancing pushes your body to use different combinations of muscle and body parts that can both improve their strength and coordination.

If becoming a more physically balanced person sounds good to you, dancing is the perfect way to do it.

2. Boost Confidence

It isn’t unusual to feel insecure about your dancing skills. Everyone remembers what it was like at school dances as an adolescent.

Dancing as an adult can challenge you to overcome that insecurity you feel, and empower you to be confident in yourself and your body in a new and exciting way.

3. Promote Cardiovascular Health

As a form of cardio in one of it’s truest forms, dancing can greatly benefit your heart health.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, adults should aim for a minimum of 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or 1 hour and 15 minutes each week of high-intensity aerobic physical activity.

Dancing is the perfect way to fulfill your fitness goals for your cardiovascular and whole-body health.

4. Increase Mental Agility

There are several studies that not only suggest that learning to dance can promote mental health, but also mental agility. 

Cognitive performance has shown to improve in both adults and children who dance, possibly related brain stimulation through physical activity, according to a researcher at Harvard Medical School.

5. Manage Weight

Last but not least, dancing can be a great way to maintain a healthy weight. By promoting calorie use in a fun, and social way, it can help you not only like that number on the scale in the short-term, but the long-term as well.

Dance for the Health of It

Dance benefits far extend the list above, and they can include everything from the mental, physical, emotional, and social influences that the activity can have.

Many dancers, new and seasoned, report immediate improvement in their lives, one way or another.

Ready to get started? Find a studio that is ready to help you become your best self that will help you learn to dance, or pick the habit back up.