Now that we have practiced developing our spiritual health and have the fuel to drive our car, we must shift our focus to the vehicle's wheels. (To review the previous article of this life balance journey click here.) We will begin with the mental dimension of health, which encompasses our thought life. The mental domain of wellness refers to the health of our cognitive ability, such as our thinking patterns, self-talk, and learning process. Our minds and thoughts help us ensure a balanced and fulfilling life as Christian leaders. Good mental wellness supports resilience, promotes positive relationships, and enhances productivity.
Caring for the cognitive domain of health requires intentional actions that foster emotional stability, intellectual growth, and creativity. Although Christian leadership comes with stress that impacts our mental health, we can nurture and improve our mental wellness. A healthy mental state manifests as coping with life’s challenges, recovering from setbacks, and maintaining a positive outlook. Two practices to implement to improve your mental well-being are developing healthy thought patterns and writing a gratitude journal.
Practices for Mental Wellness
Develop Healthy Thought Patterns
Mental health starts with how we think. Cognitive distortions, such as catastrophizing or negative self-talk, can significantly impact our well-being. 2 Corinthians 10:5 states, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” We know the importance of this scripture, yet we struggle to apply this to our lives practically. As we develop our leadership skills, engaging in cognitive-behavioral techniques, such as reframing negative thoughts and focusing on gratitude, can help cultivate a healthier mindset. A basic format to follow that will help Christian leaders become more aware of their thought patterns is the ABCD model of thought. A represents the activating event or adversity you’re facing, B represents your belief about the event, C represents the consequential feelings from the event and belief, and D represents the disputing evidence to challenge your negative belief. Here is a typical example of leadership thought patterns using the ABCD model:
a.) Your team finds a mistake in your meeting presentation.
b.) We tell ourselves, “I am a terrible leader and appear incompetent to my team.”
c.) I feel embarrassed and angry with myself.
d.) We challenge our thinking with: "My team believes in me, and I am human, so they do not expect me to be perfect.”
As Christian leaders, we all face self-defeating thoughts; however, sometimes, these thoughts are outside our awareness. Intentionally spending time to take thoughts captive will improve your mental well-being and, in turn, improve your leadership.
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Gratitude Journal
Gratitude journaling is the practice of regularly writing down things one is grateful for in life. This practice has been extensively studied in psychology and neuroscience. Research shows that it reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety by shifting focus from negative thoughts to positive experiences. Keeping a gratitude journal has been found to increase emotional resilience, helping individuals cope better with stress. Lastly, expressing gratitude can foster stronger social bonds, enhance empathy, and increase trust and mutual support in relationships. It seems small; however, starting a gratitude journal today and writing 3 to 5 specific gratitudes daily will help improve your mental well-being. Also, be specific with your journaling; for example, instead of writing "I'm grateful for my family," write "I'm grateful for the laughter I shared with my sister today.”
Caring for the mental domain of health is a dynamic and ongoing process. It involves balancing emotional stability, cognitive growth, and social interaction. By adopting healthy practices such as self-awareness of our thoughts and an intentional focus on gratitude, individuals can develop healthier leadership skills and lead enriched, fulfilling lives. Recognizing the importance of mental health is the first step toward a holistic approach to overall well-being.
Resources for Mental Wellness
If you want to read more about spiritual well-being, check out this book that focuses on mental well-being or this article that focuses on mental cognitive ability.
To continue this journey on achieving life balance in your Christian leadership, click here for the next article.
