5 Ways To Build Mental Immunity
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We often think about building up our physical immune system, so we can prevent or fight off any viruses that come our way. We may use vitamin C, D, eat right, drink enough water, and exercise to do this. But what about mental immunity? What is mental immunity anyway?
I first read the phrase mental immunity, when I was reading the “Book of Joy, Lasting Happiness in a Changing World” with the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The Dalai Lama was discussing the way in which we build mental immunity, and why. Essentially, mental immunity helps prevent us from being knocked out of balance in our mind.
When we have good mental immunity, we can get off the phone with that person who always complains, without internalizing their problems. With good mental immunity, we can get cut off in traffic without letting it ruin our day, or even the next 5 minutes.
Good mental immunity protects us from becoming a victim of circumstance.We do not go down rabbit holes of misery, feeling like everything bad happens to us. With mental immunity, unfortunate things may happen, but almost parallel to us. External circumstances may live near us, but they do not become us.
We have the ability to stay in our lane.
Here are 5 ways to build your mental immune system.
1. Meditation
Of course this is on the list! I know many people fear meditation and say it isn’t for them, but that is likely because you haven’t given it an honest try. Maybe the ego voice fought you every time with perpetual noise and telling you how it wouldn’t work. But the truth is, like anything we try and make a habit of, the ego will learn to surrender and stop fighting it. It may take 6 months before you find your peaceful self, but you will.
Meditation is all about tipping the balance of who rules your life, in favor of the peaceful presence within you. Instead of living in ego mode and reactivity, your peaceful presence helps you maintain your sense of self, regardless of what happens outside of you. You will be able to respond to life, rather than react to it.
2. Limit your exposure to the “news”.
I hate to do that. I hate to put the news in quotes, but let’s be real. It is slanted to show us stories that make us worried or afraid. This is ego food. Our body reacts to the tension and the fear, and our ego mind spins stories and suckles away on all of the worry. This makes us way more permeable to mental breakdowns, blame, and hostility. None of these are healthy for the mind.
Most “news” doesn’t reflect the reality we know. No, it is the reality that is spun for us. They know the body is less addicted to stories of love, joy, and peace. The body turns on the news, so it can react to the stress. It’s an addiction. Yet when we are mentally immune, we are more in touch with our inner knowing. We don’t looking for stress by nature. By nature, we are peace.
3. Limit social media, or let go of it completely.
This is a tough one, I know. And you may feel just fine with your social media use. You may feel happier when you have spent an hour scrolling. But really, do you? Check in with yourself, and take inventory of your thoughts and emotions before and after scrolling. If you feel drained, less worthy, or even just a little agitated, this is lowering your mental immunity.
Last spring I let go of my need to post updates on social media. It took me a while to let it go, as I thought I needed it for my business. It turns out, I haven’t lost any business by stopping this need to post or check my Instagram. What I gained, was more time to read inspiring books, write, and be more available for clients and loved ones. I have lost nothing from it, but the nagging feeling that I needed to check it and keep up with it.
And I welcome that loss. I couldn’t be happier.
4. Get outside.
One of the ways we can build mental immunity is by vibing with nature. We are nature, so by spending time in it, we align to our natural resonance. This is where our inner peace can be cultivated.
As you might have noticed, nature isn’t worried about anything. Nature ebbs and flows and adapts and responds. It isn’t in the future, and it isn’t in the past. It is right here. When we are one with nature, we have better mental immunity. After all, most of what plagues the mind is looping through past mistakes, or future worries. Make a point to get outside each day if only for a short walk. You’ll be glad you did.
5. Spend time daily engaging in joyful activities.
We all have some activity in which we can “lose ourselves”. Maybe it is music, painting, doing yoga, baking, whatever. All of us have some sort of creative endeavor that beckons us. Let it!
That which brings us joy is our soul food. Often people dismiss the idea of participating in something that brings them joy, on account of not having enough time. But you must make time for it. That magical thing that brings you joy, is your own unique key to accessing your soul.
Any time spent in joy, is time not spent in worry, pain, and stress. So, JOY is an excellent way to build mental immunity. Think of stress as eating a cheeseburger, and joy as a beautiful salad. If cheeseburgers are all you eat, you will break down. However, if you eat a beautiful salad every day, it will really balance out that cheeseburger, right?
JOY is your salad. Immerse yourself in it for at least 10 minutes every day and you will have better mental immunity and a happier life.
Thanks for reading, following, clapping, and commenting! I would love to know what brings you joy!
Be the light that you are…