Way back in January, I planned out my blog content for the first quarter of 2020. Never did I imagine that I would be dropping this particular blog post in the midst of a global pandemic. But with the panic and general sense of unease coronavirus has created, now seems a better time than ever to talk about mental fortitude.

I’m sure you’re doing everything you can to protect your physical health. But we can’t deny that social distancing, the nosediving economy, and social media feeds filled with scary updates and all kinds of misinformation can put a strain on our mental wellbeing too.

Living with an anxiety disorder means I’ve had to develop habits to help me stay in charge of my mind. And those habits have been serving me well in this chaotic time. If you’ve been feeling mentally out of sorts, either generally or because of the current state of things, give these habits a try:

1.       Master your mornings

I’m not going to tell you to get up two hours earlier or follow the routines of the world’s most successful people. Because, frankly, I’m not going to advise you to do anything I’m not willing to do. And, sis, I’m not interested in waking up at 5 am and running any number of miles.

When I say master your mornings, what I mean is make them all about you. Leave your phone face down and spend the first hour or two of your day doing things that make you feel good. Before you read the emails, check the notifications, or absorb anyone else’s thoughts, worries, or feelings, give yourself a little love.

For me, I don’t touch my phone for anything but music until I’ve done these six things:

• Journal three things I’m grateful for

• Read a few pages of my latest book

• Do mobility exercises to warm up my muscles and joints

• Dance naked in the mirror to a soca jam

• Take a hot shower and complete my skincare routine 

• Make myself a healthy(ish) breakfast

You can create your own routine, but aim to fuel your soul, expand your mind, embrace your skin, and feed your body before you share yourself with the rest of the world.

2.       Cut, curate, and counter

I used to complain about how overwhelming my social media was. So much negativity. All the complaining. So much content that made me angry. And then I saw someone say that if your social media doesn’t make you feel good, you should change who you follow. So simple, and yet, I had been ignoring the power I had to control what I consumed.

So, now I do:

• I CUT out the kinds of content I find most anxiety-inducing and aggravating. So, no newscasts, videos of police brutality, or triggering movies and TV shows for me.

• ·I CURATE my social media feeds by unfollowing people who don’t add value with their content (you can do this easily for Twitter with this tool) and following more people who talk about the things I care about. (My block button gets slapped regularly too.)

• I COUNTER negative information with positive as soon as I can. Sometimes that means talking back to the little voice in my head. Other times, it means watching cute YouTube videos after learning bad news.

3.       Meet your mind

The brain is a powerful thing. But I didn’t understand just how powerful until I started to learn about it. Now I’m no neuroscientist, and I wasn’t necessary interested in the inner workings of the brain. But I wanted to understand why I thought the way I did, what I could do to change it, and how I could flex my mind to my advantage.

These are some resources I’ve found helpful so far:

·         Books:

• Mindset by Carol Dweck to teach yourself how to grow beyond your “limits”

• Blink by Malcolm Gladwell to learn how to think without thinking

• Motivation Manifesto by Brendon Burchard to get your butt in gear

• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho to help you understand how purpose drives you

·         TED Talks

• How To Practice Emotional First Aid by Guy Winch

• Three Steps to Transform Your Life by Lena Lay

• To Reach Beyond Your Limits By Training Your Mind by Marissa Peer

• How To Make Stress Your Friend by Kelly McGonigal

4.       Push the physical

Some of you may know that I was a gym rat for a bit. I posted #swelfies on Instagram, flipped 200-pound tires, and competed in a powerlifting meet. It made me feel so incredibly strong and powerful to push my body that way, despite the ripped palms, bruised shins, and sore muscles. Now, I’m finding that same kind of empowerment in Muay Thai, even when I bop myself in the eye with my own glove.

Physical activity isn’t just good for your body. If it’s challenging enough, your workout can test your resolve and your perseverance; remind you that growth, strength, and success take time; and show you that limits can be exceeded. Plus, you can’t beat those endorphins.

5.       Create just because

I write for hours every day. Hundreds and thousands of words for myself and my clients. I love writing so much, the thought of not being able to do it makes me want to scream. But sometimes, I resent it. If you’re a creative who pays the bills with your art, I’m sure you can relate. Having to flex your creative muscles so often can leave you feeling cramped and worn out.

Which is why it’s important to find ways to create that don’t have anything to do with money. Make art that’s purely for yourself. Find a cheap, low-pressure creative outlet. My go-to is a colouring book. Try something new, even if you know you’ll suck at it. I recently did a paint night that resulted in two very wonky looking swans, but there was so much joy in making something without the pressure to be good. Give yourself that freedom too.

6.       Secure the simple stuff

We can do all the brain hacking and habit-forming in the world, but none of it will compensate for taking care of the basics. Take it from the girl who used to pull three all-nighters in a single week and forget to eat until my stomach was literally burning. You know where I ended up? Sick in bed for weeks. Sitting in a therapists office. Crying on my yoga mat. Fun stuff, right?

The most essential habit you can develop to keep your mind sharp and under your control is to make sure that it doesn’t have to compensate for a lack of rest or nutrition. Schedule your mealtimes into your day and make them non-negotiable. Figure out the minimum amount of sleep you need to feel like a human being and not a zombie, and reverse engineer your schedule around that. But give your mind a healthy body to work with.

I can’t guarantee that you’ll never feel anxious or that you’ll always be at your sharpest just because you use these habits. Because, some days, I’m still a whole mess. But I do know that I feel better when I’m consistent in these practices. And it never hurts to give yourself every advantage you can.

Always yours in truth and love,

TLC