onlinecounsellingcollege:

1. Forgive yourself. You aren’t perfect. No one is. Recognise that beating yourself up will only make things worse. Instead, forgive yourself, and then decide to just move on.

2. Focus on motivation. Without motivation, you can’t do anything. It’s much more powerful than self-discipline. So when things get tough, remind yourself of why life will be better if you reach your goal.

3. Make it easy. Discipline is tough so remove some obstacles. For example, if you’re having a hard time exercising, make it super easy by just doing 5 minutes to start with. If you can make that change for 30 days in a row, you’ll have developed a new habit.

4. Focus on enjoyment. It’s hard to push yourself — and to have self-discipline — when you hate doing something, or you see it as a drag. So do whatever you can to create a sense of fun. For example, if you don’t like exercise, find some good music, or a workout partner, and focus on that part of the activity.  

5. Repeat. You’ll almost inevitably slip up from time to time, no matter how good, and committed, you are. Just get up, get going, and keeping marching straight ahead.

Source: http://zenhabits.net/6-small-things-you-can-do-when-you-lack-discipline/ (Adapted)

onlinecounsellingcollege:

Here are some simple ways to practice mental fitness:

1. Daydream – Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a dream location. Breathe slowly and deeply. Let the comforting environment wrap you in a sensation of peace and tranquility.

2. “Collect” positive emotional moments – Make it a point to recall times when you have experienced pleasure, comfort, tenderness, confidence, or other positive emotions.

3. Learn ways to cope with negative thoughts – Negative thoughts can be insistent and loud. Learn to interrupt them. Don’t try to block them (that never works), but don’t let them take over. Try distracting yourself or comforting yourself, if you can’t solve the problem right away.

4. Do one thing at a time – For example, when you are out for a walk or spending time with friends, turn off your cell phone and stop making that mental “to do” list. Take in all the sights, sounds and smells you encounter.

5. Exercise – Regular physical activity improves psychological well-being and can reduce depression and anxiety.

6. Enjoy hobbies – Taking up a hobby brings balance to your life by allowing you to do something you enjoy because you want to do it, free of the pressure of everyday tasks. It also keeps your brain active.

7. Set personal goals – Goals don’t have to be ambitious. But whatever goal you set, reaching it will build confidence and a sense of satisfaction.

8. Keep a journal (or even talk to the wall!) – Expressing yourself after a stressful day can help you gain perspective, release tension and even boost your body’s resistance to illness.

9. Share humour – Life often gets too serious, so when you hear or see something that makes you smile or laugh, share it with someone you know.

10. Treat yourself well – Cook yourself a good meal. Have a bubble bath. See a movie. Call a friend or relative you haven’t talked to in ages. Sit on a park bench and breathe in the fragrance of flowers and grass. Whatever it is, do it just for you.

Source: http://www.cmha.ca/mental_health/mental-fitness-tips/#.UOBdVfWwXmU

onlinecounsellingcollege:

It is surprisingly easy to lose your cool, and to react to minor stresses and to irritating people. However, most of us would rather feel relaxed and in control, and the following guidelines can help us reach this goal.

1.  Keep things in perspective: Often we catastrophise or over-react when the issue or offense is insignificant. Here, it is best to force yourself to take a balanced approach and remind yourself, “it’s minor, and not worth the energy!”

2.  Visualise yourself coping: Take a few deep breaths and let your feelings settle down. Draw a mental picture of a calm, unflustered “you”, who takes their time to respond and is able to cope. Then, in a calm, low voice – with a few well chosen words – respond as you would like, so you maintain your self-respect. 

3.  Be aware of your triggers: When someone pushes our buttons we generally react. However, if we know what those are then we can regain control, and can practice how to cope when our feelings are stirred. Also, if we’re tired or hungry, feeling cold, or over-stretched then we’re much more likely to over-react.

4.  Create a calm environment: Stay one step ahead by preparing yourself for inevitable setbacks and infuriating people. For example, play some music in the car, or take a walk during lunch, or keep some photos in your office of the people that you love.

5.  Distract yourself: When you feel the pressure building, or you start to ruminate, think of something that’s amusing, or a fun event you’ve planned.

These are just a few suggestions to help you stay detached so that stresses and people don’t make you lose your cool.