Today we complete our journey to boost your mental fitness. Of course, this is not really the end of your journey – it’s just the beginning. And the knowledge you gain today will catapult you into a realm most people never experience. Yeah, it’s just that good.
Now, since this is the third and final part, I strongly recommend you go back and read part 1 and part 2 in this series, so this all makes perfect sense, and you get the most out of your effort. Once done, come back here.
Are you ready? Let’s get started.
As we learned in the previous post, there are three core muscles you need to strengthen to gain optimal mental fitness. The first two are Saboteur Interceptor and Self-Command.
Remember, the Saboteur Interceptor scans for negative thoughts, emotions, or feelings, and then labels it for what it is –
Controller, Avoider, Hyper-Achiever, Pleaser, or any of the nine accomplice Saboteurs.
And remember the Judge is always involved. He is the one who calls up one of these dastardly devils to help drag you down, beat you up a bit, and keep you from being your best.
Once you’ve identified and labeled these characters, you initiate a physical action to trigger a neurological switch. That is the Self-Command muscle where you rub two fingers together with great attention to prompt the third mental muscle into service.
This muscle is Sage Engagement.
Here is where you shift from those negative thoughts of shame, guilt, and disappointment into positive actions of calm, clear-headed, creative movement forward.
So in our example of the Avoider trying to distract us from our work, reducing our productivity and running the risk of not completing the task at hand, we must acknowledge the Avoider, thank it for the offer of that shiny object, and shift to look at this situation from the Sage perspective.
At this point, we may decide to take action, like work out a break schedule so we can stay focused on our work and then take a break and refresh our minds at a determined time.
Or we may take a different path where we choose to just let those negative, distracting thoughts go. Just let them go without guilt, regret, or unhappiness.
The point is that you are not being pushed around by the Judge and the Avoider, you are being pulled by your Sage to think and act in a way that is intentional and purposeful.
We are all going to encounter times of judgment, distraction, regret, perfection, victimhood, anger, or a need to control everything within our grasp.
But the longer we live with these negative thoughts and feelings, the longer it takes us to get back to optimal mental functioning.
Mental fitness is a complex combination of psychological, emotional, and social well-being. And Positive Intelligence (the program we’ve been talking about these last three episodes) helps us improve each of these areas through strengthening our three core mental muscles: Saboteur Interceptor, Self-Command, and Sage Engagement.
Developing these muscles takes time, but even from the very first repetition you’ll begin to see improvement in how you react to negative thoughts, feelings, and situations and how you decide to move yourself to a more positive, calm, clear-headed, and creative next step.
Over the next week, spend a little more time exploring the negative emotions that invade your thinking and show yourself some empathy for the magnificent, resilient human you are. And then go a little deeper. Call upon your Sage to find the gift behind these negative thoughts and emotions.
There is so much opportunity to see when you are not blinded by fear, shame, guilt, anger, or regret. Let those feelings go and strengthen your mind to guide you to peak performance, peace of mind, and healthier relationships.
Your Mindful Moment:
Decide to vanquish your Saboteurs and engage your Sage. Decide to live in the freedom of positivity and possibility.
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