Your Calm Mind Is The Ultimate Weapon Against Your Challenges. (Motivational Quotes – 44)

Your Calm Mind Is The Ultimate Weapon Against Your Challenges.

We all face challenges in life, whether they’re professional or personal. And while it’s natural to feel anxious or stressed in the face of adversity, it’s important to remember that how we react to challenges can have a big impact on our overall success. So, what can you do to stay calm when facing a challenge?

The Science of Stress

Stress can have negative effects on our health, both physical and mental. When we feel stressed, our body releases the hormone cortisol. This hormone helps us to deal with short-term challenges by giving us extra energy and making us more alert. 

If cortisol levels remain high for a long period of time, it can lead to health problems such as anxiety, depression, and don’t be surprised, heart disease and obesity.

By understanding the science of stress and how it affects our body, we can find ways to protect ourselves from its harmful effects, hence stay calm. The techniques that can help to lower cortisol levels and keep stress under control include;  

• Exercising
• Relaxation techniques such as mindfulness or yoga, and
• Getting enough sleep. 

The Fight-or-Flight Response

The fight-or-flight response is an automatic and natural reaction that occurs in response to a perceived threat. It is our body's way of preparing us to either face the threat head-on or to get away from it as quickly as possible.

When the sympathetic nervous system is activated, it releases adrenaline. Adrenaline increases heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. It also diverts blood away from non-essential systems, such as the digestive system, and towards the muscles so that we can be ready for action.

While the fight-or-flight response is a natural and normal reaction to a perceived threat, it can sometimes be counterproductive. What it means is, when facing difficulties in any situation, getting into a physical altercation with someone is probably not going to be the best solution!

There are some things that we can do to help manage our fight-or-flight response so that it doesn't take over and lead us to make poor decisions.

1. Staying calm and breathing evenly will help to keep our heart rate down and prevent us from getting too revved up.
2. You can use positive self-talk to remind yourself that you can handle the situation and that it is not as threatening as it seems.
3. Practice visualization, which is a technique where we picture ourselves successfully managing the situation.

Relaxation Techniques

Be aware of your stressors and how they affect you - once you have identified your stressors, you can begin to develop a plan for how to respond to them.

Use some simple relaxation techniques to help you stay calm. One of the most popular and well-known relaxation techniques is deep breathing. This involves inhaling slowly and deeply through your nose, filling up your lungs as much as possible, and then exhaling slowly through your mouth.

Other relaxation techniques include;

• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Visualization, and 
• Mind-body exercises like yoga or Tai Chi.

Find what works best for you and practice regularly so that you can call on these skills when you need them most. If you're new to relaxation techniques, start with some basic deep breathing exercises and then progress to more advanced techniques as you become more comfortable with the process. Remember, the goal is to reach a state of deep relaxation where your body and mind are able to let go of tension and stress.

Overcome Adversity

Adversity - unfavorable circumstances such as losing a job, or battling a chronic illness are certainly challenging, but adversity can also be an opportunity. It gives you a chance to discover your true strengths, chance to learn and become resilient. It can help you appreciate the good times even more.

You have the power to choose how you react to your circumstances. You can let adversity defeat you, or use it as an opportunity to grow stronger.

How Can You Overcome Adversity?

A few tips for overcoming adversity if you're experiencing it right now:

1. Acknowledge your feelings

It's okay to feel sad, scared, or angry when you're dealing with adversity. Don't try to bottle up your emotions. It is normal to feel overwhelmed when facing difficulties. Allow yourself to feel whatever you are feeling, without judgement. Acknowledge your emotions and then let them go. Don't get stuck in a negative mindset.

2. Focus on your strengths and resources

Focusing on what we can control helps us to feel more empowered and less overwhelmed. Try to focus on your strengths and resources instead. What do you have that can help you get through this tough time? Focusing on the positive will help keep you motivated to overcome whatever challenges you're facing.

3. Be open about it

Trying to be positive is not a one-fits-all solution because everyone has ups and downs, and sometimes you just can’t help it no matter how high you try to raise your spirit. Being open about it will help. When you're going through tough times, lean on your friends and family members for support. Let them know what you're going through and how they can help you. Talking openly about what you're experiencing can make it easier to handle.

Great Things Happen When You Have The Courage To Be Yourself.

Being true to yourself is not always as easy as it sounds. All the outside influences in the world - social media, influencers, reality shows, celebrity gossip, fake news -  make it hard to know what you really want and who you really are. But you know it’s important to live a happy and fulfilling life, don’t you?

Be honest about your wants and needs in order to achieve them, first of all.

Be honest about your capabilities and limitations so you can set realistic goals. Be honest about your feelings so you can express them in a healthy way. Most importantly, be honest with yourself about who you are so you can accept yourself for who you are.

Then great things will happen.

Don't Compare Yourself To Others. Don't Be Afraid To Be Different.

Remember that we are each on our own journey. Comparison is a form of self-judgement, and can lead to feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. Instead of comparing yourself to others, focus on your own progress and celebrate your unique gifts and talents.

You know it’s great to be different. Being different means that you're not afraid to be yourself, and that's an admirable quality. It's okay to be different from the norm; in fact, it's often celebrated. So don't be afraid to be different - embrace it.

Follow Your Heart

Follow your intuition and inner desires, which can lead you to a more authentic and fulfilling life. If you make choices that are not in alignment with your true self, you will likely end up feeling unhappy and restless. Do what your gut instinct tells you once in a while, even if it goes against the grain, and then you may find more happiness and satisfaction in life.

The path you have taken may not always turn out to be the best one, but what quality of real self in you have you got to lose? Listen to your heart and do it in the way you feel most comfortable with. You will feel better, and that’s one good success.

Be True To Your Values

Being true to your values means living in accordance with them, regardless of what others may think or say. It means being honest with yourself and staying true to what you believe in.

Living according to your values can be challenging at times, but it is ultimately rewarding. It allows you to live a life that is authentic and fulfilling. When you are true to your values, you are also more likely to be successful in achieving your goals.

Contributors: TJ Salvatore, Mami Yamashita and Ray Alexander 

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