By Howard Cohen

While it is important for firefighters to be physically fit, it is even more important for them to be mentally fit. But what is mental fitness, and why is it important? A simple definition: mental fitness is having and maintaining a state of well-being and cultivating awareness of how we think, behave, and feel. Mental fitness is the key to strengthening our emotional, psychological, and spiritual well-being. It is the foundation for the resilience needed to cope with the unpredictability and stress of the job and our frequent encounters with trauma.

In the same way physical fitness reduces the risk of physical injury, mental fitness makes us less likely to experience emotional, spiritual, and psychological injury. It is also a critical element of successful leadership, regardless of rank. Another benefit of mental fitness is that it improves cognitive function and enhances our ability to bounce back from setbacks. For these reasons and more, developing a personal mental fitness workout routine is important.

Brain Function

A mental fitness program focuses on brain function, as if the brain is a muscle. Technically, the brain is not a muscle. It is a complex organ composed of 60% fat, with the remaining 40% a combination of water, protein, carbohydrates, and salts. However, our brain contains neural pathways through which neurons flow, like messengers conveying information to our brain. The good news is, we can strengthen these neural pathways to our advantage, thanks to neuroplasticity.

At the risk of oversimplification, here is how neurons and neural pathways work. When we touch a hot object, a message is rocketed to a part of our brain through a neural pathway. The brain region connected to the neural pathway that the pain sensation (neuron) travels tells us to pull our hand away from the hot object and say, “Ouch.” Thanks to advancements in neuroscience, we now know these neural pathways are pliable. This is known as neuroplasticity. Simply put, this means that because of neuroplasticity, we can train ourselves to reroute neurons to different regions of the brain. Just like you don’t need to know all the details of what happens to our bodies when working out, it isn’t necessary to understand the science of neuroplasticity.

Our Response to Events

The neural pathway that neurons take after being triggered by an event determines our response. If the neural pathway is connected to the region of the brain where the survival impulse, fight, flight, or freeze, is generated, that’s how we will respond.

Alternatively, If the neural pathway goes to the region of the brain where curiosity, creativity, or empathy is generated, that’s how we will respond. This is true not only for physical pain but also for emotional and psychological pain. When someone says something hurtful, neurons are triggered, just as they are when we grab a hot pot handle. From a neurological point of view, mental fitness means we make it easier for neurons to travel neural pathways to regions of our brain where we can process what’s happened in healthy and constructive ways.

Just as with physical fitness, mental fitness requires action on your part. You can’t develop mental fitness by listening to motivational lectures, reading how-to books, or hanging around really smart people. You also can’t make your brain do push-ups or run laps. However, you can start doing one of the many exercises to improve your mental fitness. No gym memberships or special equipment is required. Best of all, mental fitness exercises are simple to do, can be done almost anywhere, and cause muscle strains or sprains doing them. But, like any workout program, don’t expect to see immediate results. It takes time to get mentally fit.

The ‘Intercept’ Muscle

One easy exercise for developing mental fitness involves using what I metaphorically call the intercept “muscle.” This “muscle” works like our reflexes when we touch a hot stove. When we touch a hot stove, we immediately pull our hands away. The intercept “muscle” tells us to pull away from emotional, psychological, or spiritually painful feelings and thoughts.

The intercept “muscle” isn’t actually a bundle of special tissues that move a body part. It is essentially a learned behavior/response. Developing the intercept “muscle” is important because studies show that the longer we dwell on painful feelings and thoughts, the more they undermine our mental fitness. Holding on to a simple misunderstanding that causes a pang of hurt can easily grow into anger, bitterness, or resentment. By using our intercept “muscle,” we pull away, literally or figuratively, from the source of pain. As soon as we create some distance from the source of pain, we quiet the voice in our head that talks up the pain. Instead of generating more anger or hurt, we are able to move into a frame of mind where we can address what’s happening with increased clarity and creativity.

Develop Your Intercept Muscle

The exercise for developing our intercept muscle is very simple: When we feel or experience something painful, we need to immediately stop what we’re doing, close our eyes if it is safe to do so, and take three deep breaths. Then, ask ourselves two questions:

  • What kind of response aligns with my values and who I want to be?
  • How could I reframe the situation so I could envision it in a new way?

Focusing on the intercept muscle is just one exercise for developing mental fitness. Here are a few other ways:

  • Tell ourselves to remember that not every thought is true or helpful.
  • Question a negative or painful thought’s accuracy.
  • Seek alternative explanations for the negative or painful thought.
  • Practice gratitude.

Like a physical fitness trainer, a trained mental fitness coach can be very helpful for developing mental fitness.

Mental fitness is crucial to our overall well-being and quality of life. It keeps our minds sharp, adaptable, and capable of managing the stresses of a first responder’s daily life. When we take charge of our mental fitness, we proactively build a foundation of strength and resilience to help us navigate life more smoothly.