6 Steps To Get Emotionally Fit For Summer!
Get Emotionally Fit For Summer!
My partner and I have been doing a really intense online fitness program for a few months now, and we have been working out harder and eating healthier than we ever have. Consequently, we are probably fitter than we have ever been in a long time. But it got me thinking, what about emotional fitness? How do you get emotionally fit? Taking care of yourself and your mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical fitness are not that different. Here are some steps to get you there!
Step 1: Figure out your motivation.
What is your motivation? Is it your partner? Is it your kids? More than anything, your kids need you to be emotionally fit! Setting a good example for them is how they learn. There has to be more to your motivation than just “feeling better.”
Why do you want to feel better?
When people come in to see me, the “Why?” often has everything to do with the future that they create. They want to be able to live a better story than they have been living, and getting fit is a part of that.
Step 2: Figure out your goals.
How are you going to measure your emotional fitness? When people come into my office with pain or stress, I’ll ask for a rating on a scale of 1-10, and in the end, they usually feel a whole lot better.
In the first session that I meet with clients, we make a list of goals, for example
Have more peace.
Have more balance
Build healthy relationships.
Set better boundaries
Gain more confidence
And when we look back after 7 sessions, a lot of those goals are significantly better (and a lot of the complaints are completely gone).
You don’t have to come in to see me to set these types of goals for yourself. But writing it down to see your own progress is key to being successful.
Step 3: Figure out what you need to reach your goals.
What do you need to have more peace? Maybe you set an alarm for prayer and meditation. Maybe you take a day off, or make a specific time just for yourself.
Learning and educating yourself is a great way to get mentally and emotionally fit. Find books that help get you there. Maybe there’s a book that you’ve been meaning to read that you know will help and that all your friends have recommended—READ IT!
Get a journal to watch your progress. Is there a pattern to when you are feeling more or less stressed? Writing is free and IMO some of the best therapy you can do.
To a point, sometimes you get stuck in your writing or journaling. It can feel repetitive or the same issues come up. Holistic Therapy can help! Set up a free consult or 90 first session and we can get past those repetitive mental blocks.
Find an accountability buddy! I don’t think that me or my partner could have finished this 8-week fitness program without each other. And doing it together was more enjoyable! Start a book club or writing club with a friend to keep you accountable. Tell someone your goals and how you hope to reach them.
Here’s a list of things that might be helpful to get emotionally fit:
Books
Journal
Accountability
Church
Therapist
Alarms
Mental Health apps
Mentor
Gym membership
Yoga
Group, clubs
Friends
Social media groups
Meet up groups
There is so much you can do. And if you are not sure where to look or where to start--just ask. Remember, it is ok to start light. Just like with physical fitness, start light but go all in (I’m going to be using 3lbs dumbbells for a while). You don’t have to do everything, but little by little you will see progress.
Step 4: Take Action.
You have your motivation.
You have your goals.
You have the tools.
Now do it.
You might start by mapping out a plan for one day or one week. Go to bed early. Get plenty of sleep. Wake up and work out. Eat healthy. Write a positive mantra for the take. Say thank you a lot. Breathe. Get those alarms set to take a minute and notice what is around you. Call that person that you have been avoiding.
And if you don’t know what action to take, or the action you take isn’t meeting your goals go to step 5:
Step 5: Keep taking action.
Okay. Okay. You might be stuck. So, reach out for some holistic therapy. No one accomplishes anything alone.
Step 6: Celebrate!
One of the best parts of the 8-week program I have been doing is that there are built-in “cheating” or “celebration” meals. I can say that these meals are enjoyed so much more because of the program. Similarly, when you have been doing everything to get your brain at even greater levels of emotional fitness, you can sometimes break, but build it in! Play some video games. Do that mindless activity that might make you feel guilty. Eat a donut or a brownie. You know you can get back on the wagon. This is just to let out the pressure. It works!
That’s all I have for you on getting mentally and emotionally fit for summer, but if you want to start right now—read the statements below out loud and take a deep breath after each statement.
Affirmations to get emotionally fit:
I forgive myself for believing I’m crazy.
I forgive myself for believing I’ll never get my mind back.
I forgive myself for believing I have to feel hopeless where I am in my life and mind.
I forgive myself for believing I’m unfit.
I forgive myself for believing it doesn’t matter what I do to help myself mentally or emotionally.
I forgive myself for believing I’m broken and hopeless.
I forgive others for being hopeless about me.
I forgive others for calling me crazy.
I forgive others for believing I can’t get emotionally fit.
I forgive others for believing nothing will work.
I forgive others for believing I can’t do the work to get fit.
I give others permission to forgive me when I believe they’re crazy.
I give others permission to forgive me for blaming them for why I feel hopeless and crazy and stressed and out of control.
I give others permission to forgive me when I believe they are hopeless, crazy, and out of control.
I love and accept myself even when I’m afraid I’ll always be this way.
I love and accept myself even when I’m afraid I really am crazy.
I love and accept myself even when I’m afraid the hopelessness will never go away.
I love and accept myself even when I’m afraid I’ll get emotionally fit for others and they will still call me crazy or not accept me.
I love and accept myself even when I’m afraid others won’t accept me.
I love and accept myself even when I’m afraid nothing will work, I’ll never be fit.
I give myself permission to accept I can be emotionally and mentally fit for me.
I give myself permission to set goals and take action in my life.
I give myself permission to accept that I can take action in my life to grow and heal.
I give myself permission to love myself enough to try.
I give myself permission to accept that no matter what my past, I can create an incredible story for my future and the generations after me.
I give myself permission to accept I have the tools to get fit.
I give myself permission to accept I always have the choice to transform myself.
Without this hopelessness, I am free to love myself more by choosing better for my life and relationships.
Without this hopelessness, I am free to love others more by creating a more balanced and healthy life so they know it is possible.
Without this hopelessness, I am free to feel confident and worthy in my mind, body, and spirit.
Without this hopelessness, I am free to accept my varying levels of fitness.
Without this hopelessness, I am free to be confident, secure, and happy not comparing myself to anyone.
Without this hopelessness, I am free to offer more hope and light and love and healing to others.
If you would like your own specific statements, reach out to Open Heart Holistic Therapy for a risk-free first session of Emotional Polarity Technique.