Today is the Day to Start Building Your Emotional Muscle - here’s how
We are all Capable of Strengthening our Emotional Muscles
Although some people are born with higher levels of resilience and emotional balance than others, we are all capable of building our emotional muscles, and therefore, our mental fitness. This means that we can all improve our ability to handle stress, and bounce back from emotional challenges when we’re faced with them.
The daily stressors of life alone can be a drain on our mental fitness, which is why we are so passionate about sharing tools to help you to build it back up.
We know, and science confirms, the more mentally fit you feel, the more effectively you cope with stress - and the better equipped you are to bounce back from emotionally challenging situations.
Here are some practical (and science-backed) ways to build your emotional muscles:
1. (Truly) Look after You
We know… you’ve heard this all before. “You can’t pour from an empty cup… self-care is not selfish… blah…blah…”. But, in all honesty, looking after yourself emotionally is perhaps one of the most important strategies to put into practice.
Choosing the best way to truly look after yourself emotionally is up to you. For some people, simply becoming more aware of the emotions you are feeling, and the impact these emotions can have on your behaviour is a positive next step. Journaling is a very effective way to do this. Not only does it allow you to release, to reflect, and to learn, it can also help to identify patterns (both helpful and unhelpful!).
For others, it’s about taking some time out when you feel that your emotions might be getting the better of you. When this happens you might consider a short meditation, a walk in nature (physically relocating yourself away from the stressful environment will help), or 60 seconds of deep, slow breathing. Our Founder, Gus Worland highlights this often when he regularly invites you to check-in on yourself and how you’re feeling. As simple as this sounds, it’s not a practice that many of us do often.
2. Don’t Worry Alone
Gus also always reminds us that sharing takes the weight out of our worries. We know that many people find it hard to reach out to others when they’re going through an emotionally challenging time, because they’ve learned to internalise difficult feelings, rather than give a voice to them.
Sometimes, the very emotions you’re experiencing, like worry, anger, or guilt or shame over something you did (or didn’t do), can feel so overwhelming that it feels almost impossible to consider talking about these feelings with someone you trust. Consider this a signal that it’s more important than ever to talk to someone about how you’re feeling, and lighten the load.
Sharing your difficult feelings takes strength, courage and vulnerability. It’s important to remember that sharing how you’re feeling isn’t necessarily about finding a solution - often, just identifying what you are feeling, unpacking what’s going on for you with someone you trust, and understanding more about why you’re feeling that way can help lead to a solution, and help you to better cope with similar situations in the future.
The day to start strengthening your emotional muscles is today.
Taking Action:
From the insights we’ve shared above, jot down 1-3 things you’d be willing to try this week to proactively build your emotional muscles.
The next time you’re faced with an emotionally challenging situation, what could you do differently
List down the people in your village who you trust to share your worries, fears and difficult emotions with.
IMPORTANT NOTE
The information in our Mental Fitness Toolkit is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Gotcha4Life does not provide counselling or crisis support services. You can connect with a Mental Health Professional for confidential 1-on-1 support and advice by calling beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 at any time, or visit beyondblue.org.au. If you or someone you care about is experiencing emotional distress, please contact Lifeline, who are there to listen and support you, 24 hours a day on 13 11 14.
Want to learn small shifts you can make that will have a big impact?
Sign up to the free, and online Gotcha4Life Mental Fitness Gym, a place where you’ll find tools and inspiration to build your emotional muscles so you’re better equipped to navigate life’s ups and downs.
*Tomorrow Man is our foundation program partner. Through active facilitation they encourage men and boys to disrupt old school male stereotypes and explore how they can look after themselves, their mates, and their families better while carving out their own, healthier version of tomorrow's man. tomorrowman.com.au
