Just as physical fitness is key to our overall health and well-being, mental fitness is essential to productivity, happiness, and relationships. When we are mentally fit, we can better manage stress, stay focused and make decisions. However, when our mental fitness is poor, we may struggle with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. The good news is that, just like physical fitness, cognitive fitness can be improved. Positive intelligence is a concept developed by Shirzad Chamine that refers to the ability to think positively and constructively. Enhancing positive intelligence can improve our mental fitness and lead happier, more productive lives.


Some of the benefits of positive intelligence include:


1. Increased productivity


2. Improved decision-making


3. Greater creativity and innovation


4. Enhanced problem-solving skills


5. Improved emotional regulation


6. Stronger relationships


7. Greater life satisfaction and happiness


Positive Psychology studies the human condition with a focus on the positive aspects of life. The goal is to promote well-being and resilience by increasing positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishments. Positive Psychology is not just about feeling good but about achieving optimum levels of functioning. There are many different approaches to Positive Psychology, but all share a common goal: to provide a scientific basis for the pursuit of happiness.


Positive Psychology is based on the premise that humans are innately resilient and capable of overcoming adversity. It is founded on four pillars: neuroscience, performance science, cognitive behavioral psychology, and positive psychology. Neuroscientists study how the brain affects behavior and cognition; performance scientists learn how to optimize human performance; cognitive behavioral psychologists focus on changing negative thinking patterns, and positive psychologists focus on promoting Positive Emotions. All four pillars work together to create a comprehensive approach to promoting well-being.


Understanding that the brain comprises two separate hemispheres, each with its distinct functions, can be beneficial in managing one’s overall mental health and well-being. The right hemisphere is typically more associated with feelings and emotions, while the left hemisphere is more analytical and logical. However, it is essential to understand that both sides are equally important and necessary for proper brain function. In many cases, imbalances between the two hemispheres can lead to mental health issues. For example, suppose the “sage” side of the brain (the right hemisphere) is constantly being sabotaged by the “saboteur” side (the left hemisphere). In that case, this can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and even paranoia. Understanding how the brain works can help individuals to manage their mental health better and maintain a more balanced state of mind.


It is nearly impossible to go through life without encountering some sort of challenge. Challenges are a part of life, whether a global pandemic, a personal loss, or something else entirely. However, how we choose to deal with these challenges defines us. Giving in to negative emotions like anger, fear, and hopelessness can be tempting when faced with a difficult situation. However, this is not the most productive way to deal with challenges. Instead, we acknowledge the challenge by taking a quiet moment to ground ourselves and turn inwards. Still, instead of staying in negative emotions, we look to the sage powers within us for guidance. This doesn’t mean that the challenge will suddenly become easy, but it gives us the tools to face it with strength and courage. So the next time you face a difficult situation, take a moment to turn inward and summon your sage powers. It could make all the difference in how you cope with the challenge.


When feeling overwhelmed or stressed, it’s important to take a step back and ground ourselves. This means taking a quiet moment to turn inward and acknowledge the challenge. Instead of staying in negative emotions, we look to the sage powers. The sage powers are empathize, explore, innovate, navigate and activate. These powers help us to understand and cope with the challenge. With empathy, we can understand how others are feeling. With exploration, we can learn more about the situation. With innovation, we can find new ways to solve problems. With navigation, we can find our way through the challenge. And with activation, we can take action to improve the situation. We can acknowledge the challenge and access the sage powers to help us cope by taking a moment to ground ourselves and turn inward.




In any relationship, it is critical to take a moment to pause and turn inwards. This helps us to recognize and move away from our “judge” and its accomplice saboteurs. The ability to self-regulate is key in keeping any relationship strong. When we can step away from our emotions and take a moment to assess the situation, we are more likely to make decisions that align with our true values. This doesn’t mean that we should always shy away from conflict – after all, disagreement is inevitable in any close relationship. However, it does mean we should approach conflict with a spirit of openness and willingness to compromise. By consciously pausing and turning inwards, we can help ensure that our relationships remain healthy and resilient.


All of us have experienced some form of self-sabotage in our lives. Whether it’s procrastination, negative self-talk, or self-medicating with unhealthy behaviors, we’ve all engaged in behavior that gets in the way of our success. But what exactly is self-sabotage? And why do we do it?


Self-sabotage is any behavior that gets in the way of our goals or happiness. Often, we’re not even aware that we’re engaging in self-sabotaging behavior. We may do it out of habit or because it’s what we’ve always done. Sometimes, we self-sabotage because we’re afraid of success or because we don’t believe we deserve to be happy.


There are many different types of self-sabotage, but they all share one common goal: to keep us from reaching our full potential. Here are ten of the most common types of self-sabotage:


The Judge: The Judge is the voice inside our head that tells us we’re not good enough or that we can’t do something. This voice can be incredibly loud and persuasive, preventing us from even trying to reach our goals.


The Controller: The Controller is the part of us that believes we need to control everything in our lives to be successful. This need for control can lead us to micromanage every aspect of our lives, ultimately leading to burnout and frustration.


The Hyperrational: The Hyperrational is the part of us that tries to overanalyze everything. We may second-guess every decision we make and end up paralyzed by indecision. Or, we may become so focused on perfection that we never take any action.


The Hyperachiever: The Hyperachiever is always striving for perfection. We push ourselves to the limit, both mentally and physically. We may feel like we’re never good enough, no matter how hard we try. This type of self-sabotage can lead to anxiety and depression.


The Victim: The Victim is the part of us that feels like life is happening TO us instead of FOR us. We may feel powerless to change our circumstances or that the world is against us. This victim mentality can keep us from taking responsibility for our lives and making positive changes.


The Pleaser: The Pleaser is the part of us that always puts others first. We may feel like we need to be everything to everyone, and as a result, we often feel drained and resentful. This can lead to codependent relationships and a lack of self-care.


The Restless: Constantly looking for the next activity, easily distracted, and avoids real long-lasting relationships. Restless saboteurs are our way of avoiding perceived anxiety and pain.


The Hyper-viligent: The part of us always on guard, looking for threats and feeling like we need to protect ourselves. This can lead to anxiety, paranoia, and mistrust.


The Stickler: This is a perfectionist and the need to keep things in order. As a result, they are seen as tightly judgmental to others, which leads to frustration to the parties involved.


The Avoider: This part of us is self-explanatory. It tries to avoid anything that might cause us pain, even if that means not fully living life. This avoider focuses on the positive and avoids tough conversations. As a result, they often have a challenge establishing boundaries, and getting work done, as procrastination is very common.


Turning the negative emotions into something positive. Taking the time to pause, turn inwards, and look for positive emotions, might save you from saying or doing something you will later regret.


Author(s)

  • Dr. Tomi Mitchell

    M.D | Leadership Coach| Wellness & Productivity Coach

    Dr. Tomi Mitchell Holistic Wellness Strategies

    Dr. Tomi Mitchell, MD, empowers executives, lawyers, doctors, business owners, and other leaders to eliminate burnout and increase workplace productivity and relationships.  She uses her three-step framework, Embrace, Evaluate & Energize, to empower her clients to have clarity. 

    As a public speaker and trainer, she brings energy to the crowd, captures their attention, and gives them clear, actionable steps to apply immediately to their life. Dr. Tomi Mitchell believes in getting to the root causes of life's challenges, instead of taking a temporary BandAid approach to life. She is a writer, with a book coming out in Summer 2023. She is also the host of The Mental Health & Wellness Show.  To learn more about her framework, check out the following link: Learn More.