9 Ways To Stay Mentally Strong In Your Busy Life in 2017

It can be very difficult to remain mentally strong and focused throughout your life, especially during periods of stress when you have a lot on your plate. If you have a busy 2017 planned, then you will need to adopt various strategies to ensure that you stay mentally healthy and mentally strong throughout the entire year. Sometimes you will come up against challenges which will make you want to give up and cry. The following nine strategies will help you stay tough and overcome any challenges which you may encounter in 2017:

1. Learn to be alone

If you are used to having people around you all day every day, then being alone - even for a few hours - can be scary. However, you need to learn to be alone if you want to be able to stay mentally strong throughout every test that 2017 throws at you. One of the best ways to become comfortable with your own company is to travel alone for a couple of weeks. Reduce your contact with other people to what is necessary and spend some time connecting with your inner self and getting to know who you are.

2. Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks of you

This is one of the easiest ways to get stressed out over nothing. Worrying about what other people think is not only stupid and childish, but it is very counterproductive as well. People will always criticize you and your work, no matter how good it is. You will either be ‘too skinny’ or ‘too fat’, or ‘too much’ of something else in someone’s eyes. If you learn to let these criticisms pass you by then you will have a much easier time staying mentally strong in 2017.

3. Let yourself cry - but not too often

Sometimes you just have to cry. Life gets too hard, the pressure builds up inside, and you just have to let it go. This is ok - everyone needs to have a good cry and emotional venting occasionally. It is important to realize that crying is not a sign of emotional weakness. However, crying too much or crying without reason IS, so make sure that you don’t cry too much.

4. Celebrate when something goes right

When things go right you need to allow yourself to celebrate a little. You don’t have to make a big event out of it, but try and at least let your hair down for a few hours occasionally. This will allow you to relax, giving your mind a rest and helping you stay mentally strong through the tough times.

5. Try and avoid arguments

Arguing is nearly always counterproductive, especially when it is done in hot blood. If you disagree with someone about something, the best thing to do is nearly always to just walk away. If you have to argue your point, then do it calmly, logically, and most importantly, don’t get angry.

6. Create an exercise plan and stick to it

One of the best ways to stay mentally strong throughout the year is to have some constant thing to fall back on at the end of a tough day or week. An exercise plan can provide just the thing - it will allow you to take a couple of hours a week and just switch your mind off. Some people can exercise without having a plan in place, but for most of us, having a set plan helps keep motivation levels up. Some very good exercise plan ideas can be found at garagegymplanner.com, but keep in mind that you may need to modify them to fit your needs.

7. Build relationships and support network

Having strong friendships and relationships is one of the keys to remaining mentally strong throughout the year. While some people can be alone their entire life and appear to be unaffected, the vast majority of us need regular human contact to remain healthy. Work on developing friendships in 2017: friendships which can act as supports for the moments you feel down on your luck and need something to pick you up.

8. Play a team sport

Joining a sporting club is a very good way of keeping your mind healthy. It provides several benefits, including a social setting where you can relax and enjoy yourself, a regular event that you can look forward to, and friends who will always be there for you when you need them.

9. Use relaxation techniques when you are stressed

Being stressed all the time is one of the best ways to develop mental illness and to harm your mental health. Next time you are snowed under with work and need to free your mind, try your favorite relaxation technique. This could be meditation, reading, exercising, or simply sitting back with your eyes closed and letting your mind drift for a few minutes.

*This is a guest post written by Suzanne James for Raellarina.