Words by Smiley Team
Physical fitness is a part of many people’s lives – but many argue that mental fitness is just as important. We move and train our bodies to stay healthy, so why don’t we do the same for our minds?
In our latest inspiring Smiley Talk, we spoke to wellness coach Josephine McGrail, life coach Leanne Evans, and mental fitness coach Sally May for an insightful discussion on why our brains are trained to have automatic negative thoughts, and the tools and techniques we can use to change this.
During the one-hour discussion, we talked about whether it’s possible to retrain our brains to not always focus on the negative, how we can do this, and how to create healthier routines that help us cultivate gratitude.
1. Establishing routine is important
Leanne shared that bringing awareness into your daily lives and becoming curious about the thoughts you’re having and your habits, as well as how your life is looking, is a good way to establish a healthy mindset.
“Start to take control of your routine,” she says. “Consider mornings and evenings, and introduce little steps that can bring positivity into your day before you start, and before you go to bed, as this is where our mind is most at rest.’
2. PQ reps can help you de-stress in the momentand build your mental muscles
Sally shared a short exercise you can do if you’re feeling overwhelmed in the moment.
“Notice how you’re sitting, relax a bit, and breathe,” she says. “Lower your shoulders, and make sure your feet are flat on the floor. Then take your finger and your thumb and gently rub them against each other, feel all the ridges. Do that from time to time if you’re getting stressed by something.”
It’s called a PQ rep – where PQ stands for positive intelligence. If you do short bursts of PQ reps several times a day, you’ll build up your mental muscles, which helps you respond to challenges in a more resourceful way.
3. Everyone is prone to negativity bias (you’re not alone)
Josephine spoke about the negativity bias. “Science has proven, since the beginning of our time, that life was tough,” she said. “Challenges and danger was very real, so that meant our ancestors – because they were experiencing these high risks – created a thought pattern that was on the lookout for danger. We don’t experience this same danger, but we still have these thought patterns.”
Watch the full live stream on YouTube or Twitter.
You can order Leanne’s book, ‘Lifted Spirits: A Manifestation Journal Which Will Change Your Life’ on Amazon. Josephine also has a book called The Morning Miracle, and you can find out more about Sally’s work on her website.
