Tips for Improving Your Mental Wellness and Reclaiming Your Power

A lot of people think that having power means having a lot of money or having control over other people. They believe that these are things that will bring them happiness. But what if our power isn’t all about our wealth or title? What if it is shaped by our mindset?

Real power also comes from having self-control, defining who you are, and owning it. It is about establishing and living values, setting boundaries for yourself and others, and having a sense of freedom in who you are and who you want to become.

Sadly, many of us lose sight of our real power in the flurry of everyday life. Work, school, kids, family, relationships, dating – whatever the case may be, we can feel powerless. When we are powerless, it can impact every aspect of our lives. It affects our relationships, our emotions, and our performance. It can leave us feeling like we have no purpose.

Stress and anxiety are two of the most common ways that people lose their sense of self, and thus, their power. Fear, regret, anger, and hurt also play a role in how we see ourselves and control our lives.  

How to Improve Mental Wellness and Reclaim Your Power

The good news is that there are things you can do to improve your mental health and reclaim your power. By reclaiming your power, you can regain the ability to:

• Experience yourself as wholly separate from those around you.

• Define who you are and own it.

• Prevent destructive thoughts or behaviors from taking control.

• Set boundaries for yourself and others, and enforce them.

• Have complete and autonomous self-control.

So where do we begin? Here are some tips:

Develop a Mindset of Growth

Raw talent or learned skills are not the foundation of success. Instead, success can be viewed as having the ability to innovate, evolve, and continue to develop skills. It is about learning, solving problems, and finding ways to enhance your life. Once you set yourself down the path to constant growth, you will find that the world is your oyster.

Find Your Breath

Breath is one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal. When we slow down and focus on our breathing, we are telling our body to calm down. We are stimulating the vagus nerve and guiding our immune system toward inner peace. When we connect with our breath, we also give our minds a chance to stop thinking or worrying, as breathwork therapy allows us to focus solely on our breathing, feeling each breath with our entire body.

Practice Self-Observation

When is the last time you really paid attention to your thoughts and how they evolve? Or how your body responds to certain situations or stressors? Most of us move through life with little consideration of these things. We can be reactive and often allow our minds to wander.

But what would happen if we were more conscious of our thoughts and reactions? What if we mindfully observe how we process thoughts and feelings? If we practice self-observation, we could learn how to let negative thoughts and feelings pass us by without engaging them. We could also learn what triggers us so we can avoid these emotions in the future.

In doing so, we learn to have control over our thoughts and reactions, which is one step closer to our goal of mental wellness and stepping into our power.

Practice Meditation

If anxiety or stress is causing you to feel powerless, consider practicing meditation. You can practice meditation for stress relief and as a general means of relaxing. Or, you can target your practice on a specific emotion, such as compassion or forgiveness. When you meditate, you are focusing on the present moment and are releasing all of the crowded thoughts and emotions that generally swirl about in your mind. 

Set an Intention

What is the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning? What is the first thing you do? Most of us hit the “snooze” button or check our phones for missed calls or emails. What if, instead of doing your usual routine, you start your day with a bit of mindfulness? Take a few minutes each morning to set an intention for the day.

What do you want to accomplish? How do you want to show up? What do you really want out of the day? By setting an intention for the day, you are setting a mission and challenging yourself to complete it.

Release Things Don’t Serve You

As we grow and mature in life, sometimes we find that we have outgrown certain things – clothes, toys, hobbies, habits, and even relationships. In order to have true self-control and power over your life, you must release things that no longer serve you. By holding onto things that are toxic, distracting, or negative, you are preventing yourself from growing and transforming into the person you are meant to be.

Cultivate Your Creativity

Each of us have passions and interests that we hold onto deep inside. Instead of keeping your passions secret, let them shine! Cultivate a sense of creativity in your life, and be intentional about diving into your passion. Scientists call it tapping into a “flow state”, or becoming one with what you are doing.

Have you ever noticed how some people paint with such fluidity that it seems like the brush is an extension of themselves? That is this flow state, which allows for complete freedom and creativity. What better way to own yourself and reclaim your power than to overcome whatever it is that is holding you back from your innermost passions.

Take Care of Your Body

Part of improving mental wellness and reclaiming your power is making sure you take care of your physical body. For optimum mental health, our bodies need adequate sleep and nutrition. Experts suggest there is a link between digestive health and brain function. That means if we are not getting adequate nutrition, or our bodies are not processing nutrients properly, we can experience side effects like irritation, fatigue, anxiety, and brain fog.

Also, getting our bodies moving is an important aspect of our mental health. Movement can help reduce anxiety and improve depression. Moving and sweating is also a great way to release toxins in the body and release the stress we are carrying around. Not only does physical exercise help us become physically stronger, but it also helps create a sense of strength and resilience.

Practice Forgiveness

Forgiveness is difficult for many people. Often, it is more difficult to forgive ourselves than others. But it is important to learn how to forgive ourselves in order to reclaim our power. We must learn to let go of the pain and realize that our past mistakes, failures, or hurts do not define who we are. These experiences are simply one piece to a much larger puzzle. By practicing forgiveness, we are acknowledging these parts of our lives, but we are releasing them to create space for all that life has to offer now and in the future.

If you need help finding ways to improve mental wellness and reclaim your power, Nalaverse can help. We have a variety of yoga, meditation, mindful movement, and breathwork classes that can help you reduce your stress, improve your focus, and live a more rewarding life.

Schedule your first class here and enter the Nalaverse today.