Most of us are in some way pre-occupied, occupied, or think often about physical fitness, exercise, keeping fit, eating well (even though we may not really..). The physical side of fitness, strength, vitality, and resources - yes? Have you ever wondered if you are looking at, and working on the other aspects of your life with respect to building strength and vitality? What about the mental, emotional, spiritual dimensions as an example?
The physical side is definitely easier. You can see your body. You feel when it’s not at its best. You know when you are not being active depending on what your activity level is set at - by you. You know when you are gaining or losing weight. You can see when you have been eating “badly”. This is why it may be easy to consider physical fitness.
However, mental, and emotional fitness are perhaps the dimensions most ignored. We may not even consider that it’s possible to build flexibility, muscle, endurance, and resilience into these areas.
What could emotional “training" even look like? Why would you even need that?
Do you ever feel trapped by old habits, of reacting to people and the world? Is there a pattern to your emotional landscape? Daniel Goleman, the pioneer of the concept of emotional intelligence advocates that self-awareness - the awareness of personal emotions, creates the place for self-regulation/control and changing old habits. It’s my belief that habits are nothing more than very fit old neural circuits.
“Know thyself" coming from the ancient Greek wisdom of Socrates is the building block to managing oneself. And how can you do this? Practices like mindfulness and meditation are key resources that help quiet the “noise” of the mind, creating some clarity, spaciousness to “respond” rather than react. Compassion, and kindness to oneself - are essential ingredients to mindful awareness. Learning to be kind - gentle with yourself, the person closest to you.
Next, mental training?
Can you teach an old dog new tricks? The brain is adaptable to change - Neuroplasticity is a concept that proves that new networks, circuits, and pathways CAN be trained. In fact, we do it every day, without knowing it. The curiosity to learn new things. The capacity to change and engage the world with flexibility is in itself mental training. Other ways of “training” are the old “crossword” puzzle type activity that challenges and builds the muscle of deep and lateral thinking. Playing games (no not just TV type games!), reading books, being creative (whatever that may mean for you?). Yes, stop feeding that beautiful mind, just the mindless stuff on social media and the internet - get exercising!
I hope that you have some food for thought. What would spiritual fitness look like to you?
This, kind of, holistic view of fitness will make you sharper mentally, agile emotionally, and can help you manage relationships personally and professionally in a more balanced way. Additionally, it will help also with healthier aging and a more vital approach to life through the years.
I’ll have some of that, thanks!
Dr Ashika Pillay is a medical doctor, executive coach and wellbeing and mindfulness teacher. She is a mum of three boys and wife to Thiru Pillay. She believes that the nexus of all her skills is here - to create a space for personal wellbeing, and leadership by living wholeheartedly into our lives, and finding the potential make a change in our lives and the world. She has completed an MBA, and is passionate about Functional Medicine which approaches medicine in a holistic, multi-dimensional manner. She is also a member of faculty at a coaching school, a board member at the Institute of Mindfulness of South Africa and works with corporate clients and students at present.
Her philosophy is in total wellbeing, preventative medicine and mindfulness as routes to us evolving into the best versions of ourselves - mentally, physically and spiritually.
Her passions are women’s health, neuroscience, stress management, yoga and meditation.
Contact details: pillay.ashika5@gmail.com
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