"Developing "Mental Toughness"

You might spend a lot of time thinking about how to get your body stronger, but have you ever thought about increasing your mental toughness? Think of your brain like a muscle you can strengthen, and you can improve your life. Mental toughness means you won’t fall apart with bad news, or when a challenge or a problem comes your way. With a strong mindset you can set goals, overcome setbacks (without unhealthy behaviors)." ~Chris Freytag

This article was not Christian related but boy can it relate to the Christian life. Here are a few tips about developing "mental toughness." 

First of all, God is our strength.
God said this once and for all; how many times Have I heard it repeated? “Strength comes Straight from God.” (Psalm 62:11 MSG)

So we will never be strong enough on our own to amount to anything.
That being said, I think we need to develop some mental toughness about facing life.
So my tip for the day is start each day with prayer and gratitude! Plank and praise is a really good way to express your joy to the Lord. 

Another idea about developing mental toughness is to keep your promises. I need to back up here for a second. I wrote a vision plan for my own life several years ago. I try to update the goals once a year. I call them "Pat's Priorities." If you feel like your goals are within God's will for you, then your goal is much like a promise that you intend to keep.

"When you do what you say you are going to do (from your workouts to meeting up with a friend for lunch) you are a person who keeps commitments. Whether it’s a silent promise to yourself or a commitment to someone else, keep those promises and you will be strengthening your mindset because you are a person of your word." ~ Chris Freytag

When we commit to ourselves that we will read our Bible on a daily basis or commit to a friend that we will pray for them, we need to keep that promise. Whether we are keeping a promise to a friend or keeping a promise to ourselves, we are developing that mindset that we will not disappoint our friends or ourselves.

If we continually break promises, whether to ourselves or others, life seems more out of control. We will break more easily in a storm. We will be more likely to forget that God ALWAYS keeps his promises…always!

One more tidbit about developing a strong mindset...

Two people are better than one. When two people work together, they get more work done. If one person falls, the other person can reach out to help. But those who are alone when they fall have no one to help them.

An enemy might be able to defeat one person, but two people can stand back-to-back to defend each other. And three people are even stronger. They are like a rope that has three parts wrapped together—it is very hard to break. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 12 ERV)

Self-discipline doesn’t have to be about how much temptation you resist, it can be about how smart you are about creating an environment that supports you. Do you hang around others who want to grow in their relationship with Christ? Do you have friends and family supporting you and your goals? Do you have an accountability partner or a friend who pushes you a little bit? Each day commit to a little more "mental toughness."

If God asks me to give up cheesecake…is that too much to ask?

And so, dear brothers, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living sacrifice, holy—the kind he can accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?  (Romans 12:1)

I have noticed that over the past two years, as I have denied myself the junk foods I used to enjoy, the Lord has increased my focus on him. So many Christians do not realize the power of a "denial list." Daniel created a denial list when he was forced to leave his beloved homeland and was taken to Babylon. The richness and temptations of the kingdom of Babylon(like America) could have sent him spiraling down a dangerous road. Instead he decided that he needed to protect his body, his mind, his walk with God by taking certain things out of his life. 

If you recall, Daniel was the guy who got thrown into the lion's den because he bowed down to God and not King Nebuchadnezzar. The background to the story involved Daniel giving up some sleep, maybe lunch or perhaps popularity in order to continue to pray many times a day. I am sure it was not the popular thing for the chosen group from Israel to be against the traditions of Babylon.    

Also, in the beginning verses, Daniel made a denial list about food. Read what happened:

"But Daniel made up his mind not to eat the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the superintendent for permission to eat other things instead." 

Interesting. He made up his mind that he would not eaten certain foods.  Have you ever done that? Have you decided that once and for all you will stop eating things that have no nutritional value and add way too many calories that you simply do not need? Have you considered allowing "your body to glorify Christ" and not detract from your testimony? There is a clear decision to be made. Is there a single item of food that you could look at and say,"you are not worth more to me than what I will gain if I deny myself a bite"? Cheesecake is a precious food item to me.  I love Cheesecake Factory!  However, a couple of years ago I looked at cheesecake right in the eye and said,"you are no longer worth it to me."

Look at the next part of the story:

"Well, at the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the youths who had been eating the food supplied by the king!"

I have been rewarded by denying myself certain foods.  I look healthier than I used to two years ago.  A lot of people have commented on this. Not only do I look healthier, I feel more confident and more focused in other areas. God did something similar to Daniel.

"God gave these four youths great ability to learn." 

God is patiently waiting for us to do things his way, instead of our way. His ways are always going to help us and not harm us. Truthfully, it seems like he is trying to harm us and make us give up wonderful things. But the reality is he is all about us doing things that will bring glorify to his name. Being healthy brings glory to his name. Back to the beginning verse:

"When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?"