Mental Fitness is just as important as Physical Fitness (maybe more so)

“You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.” — Pema Chödrön

Yesterday was a bluebird day. Blue skies yawned above the big lake, with white puffy clouds in transit from the Minnesota shore toward the Apostle Islands in the distance. That quote from Pema kept floating through my mind as I ran.

I was listening to a guided run from the Nike Run Club app, co-hosted by Headspace co-founder Andy Puddicombe. He described how we all begin with a clear, blue sky — but over time, thoughts creep in and begin to cloud it. Before long, we’re not just thinking; we’re having thoughts about our thoughts. The sky fills with weather.

As someone prone to rumination and anxiety, this metaphor hit home.

The takeaway from that guided run was simple but powerful: while we often prioritize physical fitness, we tend to neglect our mental fitness, and yet, it’s arguably more important.

If our mental health is at a low point, it’s hard to convince ourselves to go for that mindful walk, join that yoga class, or show up for ourselves in any meaningful way. Just like with strength training, mental fitness is a practice. When I am strength training, I slowly build my capacity to lift heavier weights. Once I reach a new threshold, I can sustain that heavier weight for a while, even if I miss a week or two. If I miss a month, or two months, that muscle atrophies and I regress down a few notches. Our mental health works in a similar fashion. The more we practice mindfulness tools, the easier it becomes. When we stop engaging with helpful thought patterns, our resilience begins to fade.

With consistent practice the neural pathways in our brain rewire. Neural pathways slowly shift away from the well-worn tracks of bitterness, self-criticism, and resentment, and toward more helpful thoughts like: I have the best dog in the world. I’m lucky to have a safe place to sleep. These lilies of the valley are gorgeous. What a beautiful day.

Still, an unfit mind can hijack even our best intentions. Anyone who’s ever spiraled through a workout knows how quickly negative thoughts creep in: I can’t do this. I’m so out of shape. Everyone’s looking at me. I hate the way my body looks in these yoga pants.

That’s why mental fitness matters.

So let this be your reminder to celebrate your mental fitness, and continue to strengthen and practice mindfulness.

• Can you think of some times you were at peak mental fitness? 

• Conversely, a time when your mental fitness was slumped on the couch? 

Remember to celebrate the moments when you feel mentally fit. Acknowledge and observe when you feel your mind is present, engaged, and flourishing. 

Remember that you are not a disembodied head floating around, but that your mental, physical, and emotional body are all one. 

Practice celebrating moments of mental fitness. Observe experiences when your mind flexes its muscle- when you decide to exercise, take a mindful walk, or spend time noticing and appreciating the world around you. 

And when you feel the white puffy clouds begin to gather, and the weather starts to turn, remember that you are that clear blue sky. Through mental resilience you can acknowledge and dismiss unhelpful thoughts one by one.

Warmly, Amanda