ABOUT
Everyone understands that when it comes to physical health, we have to eat well, exercise, and get adequate sleep to be fit. It's a training model that takes time, dedication, and discipline. It's also 100% up to us as individuals. If we are 200 pounds overweight, we can eventually have six-pack abs and run a marathon. But we must do the work.
But regarding mental health, we are asked if we have "problems." If we say "yes," we are diagnosed with a condition, disorder, or disease that requires treatment in the form of drugs or therapy. Put simply, we are told that something or someone else must fix us. The solution is not within our power.
But here is the perspective shift I want you to have... Most people are not mentally ill. They are mentally out of shape.
MY STORY
I spent twenty years (fourteen active, six reserves) as a Navy SEAL. It's a job that requires grit and the ability to endure pain. You have to be mentally tough. However, after the military, I learned something about myself that I found shocking. I had mental toughness in abundance. But I wasn't mentally fit.
Being a SEAL taught me to "suck it up and suffer in silence," which is a necessary mindset for conducting special operations. However, it's useless and even counterproductive for combating anxiety, depression, PTSD, or any other similar mental challenge. None of my training included instruction on how to deal with those issues. And as a veteran, I unfortunately found myself faced with all of them.
The first photo above is from the end of my Navy career. From the outside, everything appears fine. I'm certainly physically healthy. What you can't see is that mentally, I was 200 pounds overweight. In fact, my mind was so unfit that a few years later, I nearly took my own life. The second photo is what I looked like on that day.
I'm uncomfortable sharing these pictures. To divulge any details of my time in the military would be dishonorable, and showing you my worst day is more than a little embarrassing. But I think it's necessary. Because ANYONE, no matter how accomplished, badass, connected, or celebrated, can be mentally unfit. I certainly was.
During the subsequent years, I did everything possible to fix my problems. I saw dozens of practitioners, tried all sorts of unorthodox therapies, and ingested thousands of supplements. Some of it helped. But the most profound changes occurred when I started examining my mind in depth, identifying destructive behaviors, and training my way towards better ones.
These days, I don't struggle mentally anymore. Do I occasionally get anxious or depressed? Of course, I’m human. But I don’t suffer from those things. I recognize what’s going on and keep training. And I think the same approach can help you, too, regardless of your current state of mind fitness.
MIND FITNESS
Because of our current mental health paradigm, too many people feel broken, powerless, and alone. If you're one of them, I'm here to show you how you're none of those things. Anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other so-called "conditions" are not contagious or caused by pathogens. Mental health is no different than physical health when it comes to trainability.
My mission is to show you how to turn your mind into your greatest asset instead of your biggest liability through the pursuit of mind fitness. If you're ready to take control of your mind and train it towards fitness, I can help you do just that. And I've created resources that anyone on any budget can use.
Feel free to check out my RARE SENSE blog and podcast. You can also contact me about speaking engagements or coaching.
There's a reason why severely out of shape people are called "morbidly obese." They are literally killing themselves. So many of us do the same thing with our minds. Most don't even realize it. And the price you pay is to die mentally before you die physically... Don't let that be you.