Mental Fitness Workouts

Monday August, 7th - Sunday August 13th

Happy Sunday Folks,

This weeks training will focus on Engagement and Contact with the Present.

Engagement refers to living in the present moment and focusing entirely on the task at hand. In our practice this week we will attempt to use our character strengths that we identified previously in new ways each day this week. This has been shown to enhance the likelihood of experiencing flow and increasing happiness for several months.

Contact with the present moment is the process of noticing whatever shows up in the moment, not just thoughts and feelings, but also what we can experience with our 5 senses. Increasing this skill has been shown to reduce our stress and its impact on our health, improve our ability to cope with negative circumstances, and deal with difficult situations more effectively.

Mental Fitness Workouts:

• Engagement: The Signature Strengths Action Plan

  • If you have not done so already, complete the VIA Character Strength Survey

  • Pick one of your top 5 strengths and reflect on the following:

    • How do I use this strength already and in what areas of my life do I use this strengths?

    • What areas in my life could I use this strength more?

    • What are other ways I could use this strength that I am not already?

  • Make a plan:

    • How exactly would I like to use this strength moving forward?

    • How frequently will I make this happen?

    • What will happen if I achieve my goals of utilizing this strength more often?

• Contact with the Present: Dropping Anchor

  • Step #1: Acknowledge your thoughts and feelings in the present moment

    • Notice whatever is happening inside of you — the thoughts, feelings, memories, sensations, urges, etc.

      • (Pause for 20 - 30 seconds to examine)

  • Step #2: Come back into your body

    • Connect with your physical body by engaging with your senses:

      • Press your feet into the ground, spread your fingers as wide as you can and notice any contact points between your body and different surfaces. (Pause 30 seconds)

      • Take 3 deep breathes in and out. (Pause 15 seconds)

    • Finally, acknowledge your thoughts and feelings from step#1 and notice the differences between your physical body and thought/feelings

      • (Pause 20-30 seconds)

  • Step #3: Engage in what you are doing

    • Come back to the present moment

      • Identify:

        • 5 things you can see (10 second pause)

        • 4 things you can hear (10 second pause)

        • 3 things you can touch or feel (10 second pause)

      • Finally, reengage and refocus your attention back into what you are doing

  • Practice 5 days this week

• Stress Training:

  • Box Breathing

    • Practice 3 days x 7 minutes

  • Measured Breathing Protocol (4 inhale - 1 hold - 7 exhale)

    • Practice 3 days x 7 minutes

  **Both practices can be completed on the same day at different times. A recommendation would be to do the box breathing at the beginning or in the middle of your day and the measured breathing as you are winding down in the evening**

• Focus Training: Mindful Music:

  • Pick a Song or Instrumental

  • Pick one part of the song to focus on (Drums, Guitar, Vocals, etc.)

  • For the whole song, attempt to only listen to that one part. Every time you lose focus, note it and then refocus on your part.

  • Practice at least twice a day x 4 days this week

As always, feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or feedback. I am happy to support you along your journey towards authentic happiness.

Be Easy,

Ryan