Strengthening Yourself: How to Build Your Mental Resilience

No matter what you set out to do in life, it would help if you strengthened yourself. The stronger you are as a person, the more you can achieve. Invest in yourself – not only in knowledge and courses but take personal time for yourself. You are, by far, your most important asset – you are the source of everything you do, so make sure your schedule and your expenditures reflect that.

Some years ago, I realized that my emotional intelligence needed to increase if I was going to keep leading a firm the way I envisioned doing. In the initial part of my career, I invested in knowledge, books, and courses, but after some time, I felt like I reached an educational sufficiency.

Despite this particular knowledge peak, I hadn’t developed my leadership skills to the same level. So, I started taking courses, I hired a coach, I started sessions with a Jungian analyst, and I read books. Whenever I start something, I tend to do it intensely, so I invest a lot of time and effort into my personal growth. I made time in my schedule, I explored and tried new things, and as a result, I learned. Some things worked well – others not so well – but I grew. I strengthened myself.

Throughout that journey, I learned that my daily practices would make the most difference in who I am and who I will become. And so, I invested time in structuring these practices in the best possible way.

Strengthening yourself involves a series of practices. These are the ones that I have found the most useful.

1. Exercise and eat well: exercise is key to reducing stress and increasing your energy levels. This, combined with eating well, will also keep you as healthy as possible, which will be the fuel to do everything you set out to do.
2. Sleeping: current research suggests we need 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Sleep is essential, and it must be a priority.
3. Reducing all bad habits: smoking, drinking, staying up late, and eating too much sugar are just a few bad habits that will weaken you. I measured how I sleep every night with my Oura ring, and I noticed that even just one glass of wine would disrupt my sleep. Therefore, I have opted to minimize my alcohol intake.
4. Meditation: every time I meditate, I feel like I reset my brain. Ever since I started to meditate more seriously, my thoughts are clearer. As my interior world has become calmer, so have the events around me. I cannot recommend meditation enough as a tool to navigate the world like a master captain.
5. Writing: writing is the best way to learn and think explicitly. Make a habit of writing in a journal to process everything that is going on for you and as a record of your thoughts. Your entries will help you improve your thought process.
6. Regular sessions with a coach: an external perspective is key. Try sessions with a coach or a therapist to get someone else’s input about what is happening in your life. As your coach gets to know you, he or she will be able to give you better feedback to help you improve and evolve.
7. Nurture your relationships: invest in your relationships – they are what help us pull through difficult times and make our best times a joy.

All these regular practices will make you stronger and more resilient as you go through life and all its wonderful paths and curves.