Mental Health Fitness Workout in 4 Easy Steps

Welcome to what I hope is topic to help free you to choose growth and peace—mental health fitness. Today we’re going to explore why strengthening our minds should be just as normal and celebrated as strengthening our bodies. If we’re willing to invest time, money, and effort into looking and feeling physically strong, then can’t we do the same for our minds, to gain strength and resiliency to build peace within us? Why is it so taboo to talk about, why is it not being normalized as just another aspect of personal growth and wellness? Let’s get into it and hopefully by the time we’re done, you’ll have your own health plan lined up!

Step 1...Assess where you are

Step 2...Develop a routine

Step 3...Remember your why

Step 4...Fueling your health

Four easy steps to a better you, a better life!

Transcript

Welcome to what I hope is topic to help free you to choose growth and peace—mental health fitness. Today we’re going to explore why strengthening our minds should be just as normal and celebrated as strengthening our bodies. If we’re willing to invest time, money, and effort into looking and feeling physically strong, then can’t we do the same for our minds, to gain strength and resiliency to build peace within us? Why is it so taboo to talk about, why is it not being normalized as just another aspect of personal growth and wellness? Let’s get into it and hopefully by the time we’re done, you’ll have your own health plan lined up!

It’s just a few months to summer, although I can’t believe it’s snowing as I record today...it’s April 12th as I record and there’s already a couple inches of slushy now out. We were in the 60s last week and it’s going to be 65 in a couple days...well, I guess that means I don’t need to shovel and can just let it melt. But let’s focus on getting ready for summer...you know, working out, eating right, getting our bodies ready for exposure in shorts and swimsuits. We are all so ready to work on our physical health by going to the gym and eating right, spending the money on workout classes and personal trainers and doesn’t everyone see that as worthy things to do, worthy of our time and our money. As soon as a friend starts an exercise plan, we think good for them, that’s awesome. And of course if we see them getting stronger, we may choose to do the same or follow a ask them what they’re doing so we can get the same results. And if you want to improve your spiritual health you might decide to go to church every week, add money to the tithing basket, maybe you read the bible, Koran or whatever religion you follow. Many look at this as the right thing to do, expected in fact to be a good person. And even if you’re not religious you may still think these are noble acts and wonderful ways to spend your time. You see it as helping others, becoming a better person doing good things. So working on our physical strength, working on being a better person is celebrated But why is it such social taboo to do the same thing for our mental health, when a person decides to prioritize their mental health and focus on their self care? Maybe it’s hiring a trainer for our mind like seeing and talking to a therapist every week to help heal some traumas we may have or don’t even know we have, or hiring a life coach to help figure out why we’re stuck and how to move forward, feeding our bodies and minds with medication if that’s what’s decided is the best way for someone to move forward in their mental health. But why is it in some cases if you try to improve your mental health or focus on your personal growth, you don’t get the same response of of “oh, good for you, that’s awesome that you’ve made that decision”. Instead you’re met with whispers between friends and family, hey did you hear...hey what’s going on with Shirley, she ok? And you know what, let them talk...be strong on what you know you need to do for yourself and just get started.

So let’s start with a comparison we all understand. When you decide you want to get physically stronger, what do you do? Maybe you sign up for a gym membership, invest in a personal trainer, or follow a structured workout routine. You eat well, track your progress, and set goals. You don’t just expect to wake up one morning with six-pack abs or the ability to lift twice your body weight. You work for it, consistently, over time.

So why do we expect our minds to be any different? Why do we think that simply existing will give us emotional resilience, happiness, and the ability to handle life’s challenges with ease? Mental strength—just like physical strength—requires training, dedication, and the right tools.

Here’s the thing—if you tell someone you hired a personal trainer, they’ll probably say, “Good for you! That’s awesome!” But if you tell them you’re seeing a therapist or working with a life coach, you might get a different reaction. Maybe a look of concern. A whispered, “Are you okay?” What’s going on?

Why? Why is one investment seen as a sign of dedication and self-improvement while the other is seen as a sign of weakness? It’s the same principle—taking care of ourselves. And just like you wouldn’t try to bench press 200 pounds on your first day at the gym, you shouldn’t expect to overcome deep-seated emotional struggles or trauma overnight. It takes time, guidance, and practice.

So, let’s break this down like we would a workout program.

Step 1: Assess Where You Are

Before you start any kind of training—whether it’s for your body or mind—you need to assess your starting point. In physical fitness, this means understanding your endurance, strength, flexibility, and overall health. You want to look at where you are at and figure out what you’re looking to achieve. For mental fitness, it means recognizing where you struggle, what is preventing you from moving forward in your life. Are you battling anxiety? Do you have trouble setting boundaries? Do you feel unmotivated or stuck in negative thinking patterns? Do you not even know where to begin and that’s ok. Just start being more purposeful and intentional of making yourself a priority and doing whatever it is that rechrages you and creates that peace and calm in your life. Start small...just a few minutes a day maybe or just making one change in your life.

Once you’ve have time to slow down, reflect and become more self aware, you might be able to reflect and identify your growth areas, maybe listening to podcasts like this, reading self help books, or however you choose to reflect, this may be what you need to identify where your mind is flabby and where you need to tone and strengthen. But just like a personal trainer would measure your body fat percentage or have you do a fitness assessment, maybe you need more focused training so a therapist or coach can help you assess your mental and emotional well-being. However you get to this assessment of where you’re at and what you think you need, the first step towards growth is to figure out where are the areas that you need to grow and focus on.

Step 2: Develop a Routine

A solid fitness routine involves a mix of strength training, cardio, flexibility, and rest. Your mental health routine should be just as balanced.

• Strength Training (Building Resilience): Just like lifting weights makes your muscles stronger, facing challenges and working through difficult emotions makes your mind stronger. This could mean confronting past traumas with a therapist, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, or practicing resilience through mindfulness and meditation. And of course there are so many free options out there so this doesn’t have to cost you anything but time well spent.
• Cardio (Processing Emotions): Movement is important for physical health, and emotional movement is just as critical. Journaling, therapy, talking to trusted friends, and allowing yourself to feel and process emotions are like cardio for your mind. It keeps things flowing rather than letting emotions and negativity build up.
• Flexibility (Adaptability and Mindset Shifts): Just as you stretch to prevent injuries, mental flexibility helps you adapt to change. Practicing gratitude, challenging negative thoughts, and learning new perspectives are ways to increase your mental flexibility. Challenging your status quo, how you’ve always done things...move out of your comfort zone.
• Rest & Recovery (Self-Care & Boundaries): No one can work out every single day without risking burnout or injury. The same goes for mental health. Rest days are important—whether that means saying no to social obligations and saying yes to yourself, taking time for hobbies, or practicing whatever self-care activities recharge you, this rest is not a luxury, it is a necessity.

Step 3: Remember your why

One of the hardest parts about mental fitness isn’t even the work itself—it’s dealing with the resistance, both from others and from within and the best way to do that is to remember your why...why are you doing this? Why is it important to you? Why now? Maybe you have decided that you just can’t live this way any longer. Maybe you’re realizing you deserve more, you deserve peace and happiness and that only you can make that change. And that may affect the people around you questioning why you are doing what you’re doing. Maybe it’s because sometimes that includes having to look back into your childhood for clues as to why your mind is the way that it is, you get people saying well you’re just trying to shift the blame to your parents, you are who you are so why are you trying to change, what’s the point. Some will knock you down for trying to be more positive and just wait for it when you are not so positive, they will sure to point that out...ha ha, I knew you’re weren’t all positive to which I respond...correct...I’m human. It’s like some people just think that everyone should just suck it up and stay miserable or stop trying to be better than everyone else. And whether that’s truly that they believe you think you are better than them or possibly it puts a spotlight on their own lives and what they are not doing for themselves. Just like in fitness, where some people will discourage you (“Why are you eating that? Just live a little!”), you’ll face critics when you start working on your mind. Some people don’t like to see others growing because it forces them to reflect on their own lack of effort or it makes them have to confront their own lives or their impact in your life. And if that upsets them, remember that is their choice, their journey...not yours. Keep focusing and being dedicated to your journey and the choices you need to make for YOU.

And then, of course, there’s the internal resistance. That little voice that says, “What’s the point?” or “You’ll never change.” Just like pushing through the last rep in a hard workout, you have to push through those negative thoughts, you have to come back to your why and keep reinforcing that you deserve this growth, that you deserve your peace. Over time, your mental endurance grows, and you become stronger, more confident, and more in control of your life and just like it gets easier to lift those extra weights, it gets easier to life the negative weights in your mind, to deal with whatever life throws your way with strength and endurance. Working on your mental health fitness is not about perfection, it’s not about being better than anyone. It’s about being better than prior versions of you, only you, and to give us the strength and knowledge to learn how to manage life in all its aspects and ways that may affect us.

Step 4 Fueling Your Mental Strength

Nutrition is a huge part of physical health, and the same applies to mental health. What are you feeding your mind? Are you feeding it to be ready to take on challenges, are you bulking up for those mental squats? Do you have what you need to put in the effort and still have energy left so that it doesn’t drain you but recharges you? Think of what your mental healthy diet can consist of...maybe Reading uplifting books, listening to inspiring podcasts, surrounding yourself with supportive people. And what would junk food for you mind consist of...Constant negativity from news, from others, doomscrolling on social media, toxic relationships. 

Just like you can’t out-exercise a bad diet, you can’t out-think a bad mental environment. Be mindful of what you consume mentally as well as physically and make sure you use that free, simple superpower of getting enough sleep. And not just any sleep...shoot for 8 hours if you can but even if it’s less than that, be sure to set yourself up so that you can get some good deep sleep and good REM sleep both of which are needed to keep your brain, body and emotions healthy. Setting yourself up could be ensuring you stop any deep discussions a couple hours before bed especially if they involve a lot of decision making, turn off electronics or switch to blue light an hour before bed. Turn the lights down a bit, maybe play some soothing music but set the mood for you mind.

All of this will pay off. We admire people with physical strength, endurance, and discipline. But imagine if we equally admired emotional intelligence, resilience, and inner peace so much that we all want to help and support each other to get there. Where seeking help for our minds was as celebrated as seeking help for our bodies and never taboo.

When you consistently train your mental health, the long-term benefits are just as rewarding as physical fitness:

• You handle stress better. 
• You set healthier boundaries. 
• You don’t crumble under life’s challenges. 
• You feel more in control and fulfilled. 

So here’s the challenge for you: Just as you wouldn’t neglect your body, don’t neglect your mind. Start small. Maybe it’s journaling once a day. Maybe it’s booking that therapy appointment you’ve been putting off. Maybe it’s replacing 10 minutes of social media scrolling with meditation. What will you do to start your mental health fitness routine?

Because here’s the truth—working on your mental health isn’t selfish. It’s not weak to admit you need to work on your mental fitness and that maybe you need a trainer, a therapist, some help to understand the best way to get in mental shape. It’s not something to be ashamed of. It’s strength. And just like in the gym, every bit of effort adds up, it’s all those little ways just like you tear down fat and build up muscle, you slowly tear down what you no longer need and build up internal strength and resilience to keep moving you forward.

Thank you for tuning in today. If this resonated with you, share it with a friend who might need to hear it. And maybe just like having a workout buddy can help you keep going, maybe you can listen to this podcast together, you can do some walk and talks together you can keep encouraging each other. Thank you for listening today, thank you for clicking that follow button and sharing, thank you for helping to reach out more people to build peace and mental health fitness. Until next time, keep training your mind for resiliency, peace and calm...little by little and peace by peace.