HOW TO MAKE YOUR MIND STRONG!
The mind is probably the strongest organ of the
body. When the mind believes, anything is achievable, nothing is impossible! It
is said, success or failure is more often decided in the mind, than the actual
event itself. Thus, in the toughest sports tournaments, the players with
stronger mind usually prevail.
Traits
of a Strong Mind
A strong mind always looks at the positive aspect
of things, because with regard to everything in life, there are both, positive
and negative aspects.
·
Winners always focus on the positive aspect. Halfway in a marathon
race, a person with a weak mind thinks, “half the distance is still yet to go
and I may not be able to complete it well”. On the other hand, a person with a
strong mind thinks, “I have finished half the race well, I can easily finish
the second half equally well”. Needless to say, the runner with the stronger
mind succeeds.
·
A person with a strong mind has a lot of self-belief. “When you do
not believe in yourself, how can others believe in you?” So, you need to strongly
inculcate the sense of self-belief in yourself at all times. This is considered
as s stepping stone towards success.
·
Another feature of a person with strong mind is that he/she is
always hopeful. They always hope for and expect a good outcome. Even when the
whole world thinks otherwise, a person with strong mind always hopes for
success. You would certainly agree to this one- how many times you have seen
players winning a match from almost a losing position?! So, it is obvious that
unwavering hope and self-belief are important for winning, even from “losing
situations”.
·
A person with a strong mind looks at only the good qualities in
another person and oversees the bad traits. Every individual has both good and bad
qualities. It is always easy to focus on negative qualities of a person and
criticize him. It takes a person with strong mind to focus on good qualities of
others and appreciate them. This virtue makes them appear more congenial among
masses. After all, no one likes a person who is always critical about him or
her.
·
The most important quality in a person with strong mind is their
ability to control emotions. Emotions and sensitivity are important for good
social interactions; however, exaggerated emotional responses may interfere
with daily life. A person with a weak mind may suffer from sadness and
depression after a failure. On the other hand, a person with strong mind treats
failure as a medium to work on flaws and successfully outgrows them. If one
remains pre-occupied with negative emotions after a failure, there is no time
and energy left to sharpen the skills to excel later. However, the person with
a strong mind puts the failure behind and works harder in order to succeed at
the next available opportunity.
·
Anger is a negative emotion, which a person with strong mind lacks.
Strong-minded people are able to smile at all instances and events and strongly
believe in letting bygones be bygones, because they know that anger does not
solve a problem; on the contrary, it may aggravate it. Everyone likes a smile
and appreciation- who likes getting reprimanded?! There is no wonder, then that
people who often smile have a large number of admirers as compared to those who
get angry with small issues.
The
Making of a Strong Mind
From the above discussion, it is quite evident
that a strong mind is vital for a fulfilling and successful life. So, is the
“strong mind” inherited from one’s ancestors or can one do something to make
the minds stronger? Well, here’s how you can build a strong mind. Just follow
these methods:
1.
Regular exercises not only help you making physically fit, but also
impacts your memory and thinking skills. There is a release of good chemicals
such as endorphins and dopamine post-exercise, which elevate our mood and keeps
depression away. So, stay active!
2.
Good nutrition is important to keep the brain strong. Timely
balanced meals are the key. So, dig into foods that are good for the brain. These
foods include fish, eggs, broccoli, asparagus, spinach, blueberries, dry fruits
like almonds and walnuts, etc.
3.
Ensure adequate sleep of seven to eight hours at night, as it relaxes
the body and mind. The mind gets re-energized after a restful sleep and is
ready to take on the everyday challenges of life.
4.
The brain gets bored and inactive with a monotonous schedule and
activities, and the risk of cognitive impairment increases with this schedule.
On the other hand, challenging the brain with newer activities, such as
learning a new language or playing a musical instrument, would make the brain sharper
and stronger. This also boosts the self-confidence in a person.
5.
Avoiding smoking and alcohol as both these vices have a negative influence on brain and mind
functions, making them weaker and prone to mental illnesses.
6.
Socialize whenever you can! Isolation and loneliness are
detrimental to brain and mind and make them weaker. On the other hand, greater
social interactions, especially spending quality time with family and friends
are healthy for brain and makes it stronger.
(
(This article was first published in the September 2017 issue of B POSITIVE, a health and wellness magazine)
Dr
Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)
Apollo
Hospitals, Hyderabad
04023607777/60601066
drsudhirkumar@yahoo.com
