"Challenging games like Sudoku or chess seem to help nervous people focus."  This was from an article written by Charles Burress, a Chronicle Staff Writer at Berkeley.  As much as I love playing games, these two would only help me focus on things I need to do like clean up dog poo or mow my lawn.  

However, I do love a good computer game or a video game on a console, or even a board game with family or friends.  I prefer the latter but friends and family aren't always around.  Mr. Burress' article states that "a new study suggests that intellectually demanding challenges like crossword puzzles or chess may be more successful at keeping worry-prone people from worrying than supposedly relaxing pastimes like watching television or shopping."

There are actually theories that conclude that as things get harder, anxious people fall apart, however the above seems to have the opposite conclusion. 

One study showed that anxious people performed just as well as others when faced with tasks that demanded concentration, but they took more time than the others to complete tasks that were easier.  This must be why, when I have two patients versus five, I have a harder time finishing my documentation on time on the two patients while thriving with five. 

There is a medical reason that those anxious people took more time to complete the easier tasks.  Their slower response time to challenges not requiring full attention was accompanied by reduced blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, which serves as the brain's CEO of thinking, planning and active memory.  Anxious people have a weakened ability to block out distractions.  Studies showed that they may benefit from mindfulness training which often uses stress-reduction exercises and meditation to help increase awareness and focus.

As I am sitting here writing this, I find myself unable to focus with people around me talking loudly.  When I have to concentrate on my writing, I must block them out but I just cant.  So headphones go on, music goes on, volume goes up.  Is this considered 'mindfulness'? Ha!

I am also having difficulty reading the entire article, one that I thought was going to be more informative and reader-friendly.  I lost focus, got up a few times only to walk around the office and come back to start again.  

The results of the study also challenge another explanation for why anxious people face day-to-day problems in concentration and work-related cognitive function.  Ummm...what was I just saying?

It has been argued by some that the fight or flight response center of the brain, the amygdala, overreacts to threat-related stimuli in anxious people. This plays a big part in undermining concentration.  Really?  The fight or flight response is WAY overactive.  This is why chess or Sudoku makes me nervous just thinking about it.  I don't know how to play, and while I learn technical stuff pretty easily, there is a big mental block about these two games. 

I remember as a kid playing cards - with parents, sisters, even my own kids.  This was well before we had the internet so if we wanted games, this was the way to play. To concentrate on the rules, the challenge of winning, and on your next move kept all the anxiety away.  Why?  Your brain, the amygdala, didn't have to go into flight mode.  Fight mode perhaps, especially if you were playing Monopoly.

Another game I thought was great was Mouse Trap because the player had to put the game together before even starting the game.  For me, putting it together WAS the game!  

As a child, teen and even as an adult, I played softball.  At the age of 29 I was even invited to play two seasons of women's baseball.  In both of these sports, I felt I was at my best on the infield.  Some coaches wanted me to play in the outfield because I had a really strong left arm to get the ball where it needed to go, and I was pretty good at keeping it from where it was trying to go.  However, the job was pretty few and far between and I'd get bored and anxious.  Playing the infield put me where the action was.  I still could throw the ball like a bullet (well maybe a slow bullet), and this kept my mind occupied.  No anxiety here, unless I missed something.

Golf is another physical sport that can divert anxiety.  Some people like the challenge of making the little ball go exactly where they want it.  They don't have time to be anxious with all the thinking and planning they do.  For me, the sport is too slow, and my thoughts would over-run my ability to focus.  It's also too quiet.  Now, if I go to a driving range with a bucket of balls and a club, I'm quite excited and have not a care in the world.  

In my experiences, and in my studies, and in my nursing judgement, anxious people NEED something to do.  They need a project.  They need a challenge they are CAPABLE of doing - anything too difficult could cause them to go backwards, and have yet one more thing to worry about.  Is this a factual, real study?  No, it's evidence based practice.  

Take a look back into your own mind.  When do you worry?  When are you most anxious?  When it's quiet?  When you're bored?  When you're faced with a difficult or nearly impossible task?

Building mental strength takes hard work and commitment, but it's the key to reaching your greatest potential.

Spending time talking about the bad habits that can rob you of mental strength. After all, it only takes one bad habit to hold you back from reaching your greatest potential!  But in addition to giving up those bad habits, it is important to perform exercises that build your mental muscle.  With a little hard work and dedication you can train your brain to work at its' best.

Here are 18 things mentally strong people do.

1. Practice gratitude.  Every day.

Count your blessings. Every day. There have to be some. Rather than concentrating on your burdens.  This helps keep life in proper perspective.  Your choice to be grateful will shine through in your behavior and your mood.  And THAT is contagious! 

2. Retain your personal power.

Mentally strong people don't give negative people power over them. Refuse to blame anyone for holding them back or dragging them down.

3. Accept challenges.

Mentally strong people view adversity as an opportunity to grow stronger. With each obstacle they overcome, they gain confidence in their ability to become better.

4. Focus on the things they can control.

Mentally strong people stay productive and effective by focusing on the things they have control over. Rather than waste energy worrying about whether the storm will come, they invest their efforts into preparing for it the best they can.

5. Set healthy boundaries.

Creating healthy emotional and physical boundaries gives mentally strong people the room they need to grow. Even when they may disappoint others, they're willing to say no.

6. Take calculated risks.

Mentally strong people balance their emotions with logic so they can calculate each risk they face. They're willing to step outside their comfort zone and seek opportunities that will help them reach their goals.

7. Make peace with the past.

Mentally strong people reflect on the past so they can learn from it, but they don't dwell on it. They refuse to live a life of regret and they let go of grudges.

8. Learn from their mistakes.

Rather than beat themselves up for their mistakes, mentally strong people focus on learning from them. They accept full responsibility for their behavior and choose to move forward in a productive manner.

9. Create their own definition of success.

Rather than resent other's good fortune, mentally strong people feel free to share in their joy. They recognize that other people's achievements don't diminish their own.

10. View failure as an opportunity for growth.

Failure is often part of any long journey toward success. Mentally strong people accept that and they choose to use each failure as an opportunity to grow wiser.

11. Set aside time to be alone.

Mentally strong people take time to be alone with their thoughts. Whether they write in a journal, practice meditation, or sit silently and reflect, they know a little solitude is essential to their well-being.

12. Accept full responsibility for your life.

Mentally strong people create opportunities for themselves. They don't waste time waiting for the world to give them what they think they're owed.

13. Practice perseverance.

Mentally strong people know that the best things in life are worth waiting for. They exercise patience and persistence as they strive for their goals.

14. Modify unhealthy beliefs.

Mentally strong people refuse to allow self-limiting beliefs to restrict their potential. They understand their minds can be their best asset or their worst enemy.

15. Expend mental energy wisely.

Instead of complaining about things they can't change or rehashing something that happened yesterday, mentally strong people devote their energy to productive tasks. They don't waste limited resources, like time and energy, on things that aren't helpful.

16. Practice realistic optimism.

Mentally strong people talk to themselves like a trusted coach. They refuse to believe pessimistic predictions but they also don't allow themselves to become overconfident.

17. Tolerate discomfort.

Mentally strong people aren't afraid to endure a little pain. Whether they keep running when their legs are tired or they resist instant gratification, they practice self-discipline even when it's uncomfortable.

18. Stay true to your values.

Mentally strong people keep their priorities in line with their beliefs. They're courageous enough to live according to their values, even when it's not the popular choice.