Mental strength in everyday life: How to increase your energy levels in the long term with mindfulness, exercise, and focus
- Julia Wöllner
- Aug 18
- 10 min read
Perhaps you know those days when, at the end of it all, you don't know where your head is anymore. You function, you do your best—for your team, for your family, for everyone else. But inside, you feel your own energy draining away. You are exhausted and feel out of balance. This is exactly where I want to start today's discussion: mental strength in everyday life.
I am Julia Wöllner, mindset, performance, and yoga coach in elite sports. I work with professionals who are mentally challenged every day – on the field, in competitive sports, on the athletic stage. What I have learned in these intense environments can be 100% transferred to everyday life. Because mental strength is not only required in the stadium. It is the foundation for a conscious, stable, and energetic life.
In this article, I share with you proven strategies, tools, and thoughts on how you can regain your strength through mindfulness, exercise, and mental focus. You don't need any previous experience. Just the willingness to get closer to yourself and work on yourself.
Why mental strength is more important today than ever
We live in a time that constantly challenges us: we are inundated with information, constant availability has become the norm, and the pressure to perform often begins in the morning when we first glance at our cell phones. Our nervous system is hardly able to distinguish between real threats and digital stimuli.
Many of my clients – whether professional athletes, executives, people with demanding careers, or young mothers – tell me the same thing: “I'm exhausted, even though I actually have everything.” This inner exhaustion is not a personal failure. It is a sign of our times.
In this context, mental strength becomes a real life skill. It is no longer just “nice to have”– it is essential for navigating this world in a healthy, clear, and powerful way. It helps you:
regulate yourself better,
deal confidently with pressure, change, and sensory overload,
make clear decisions, even in dynamic situations.
When we train mental strength, we regain a piece of self-determination – in a world that often determines us.
What does mental strength mean in everyday life?
Mental strength is not a state that you achieve once and then possess. It is an attitude, an inner muscle that you train like any other. For me, mental strength means above all: the ability to remain conscious – even when things get turbulent on the outside.
In everyday life, you encounter it in moments like these:
You don't immediately lose yourself in negative thoughts, but can consciously counteract them.
You don't let yourself be infected by the hectic environment, but remain true to yourself.
You decide on your priorities instead of getting bogged down.
This inner strength can be trained. And it starts small: in conscious breathing, in deciding to take a break, in saying no to sensory overload.
The three pillars of mental strength in everyday life
In my work with demanding top athletes and stressed, pressured entrepreneurs, three essential areas have repeatedly emerged that directly contribute to your energy level:
1. Mindfulness: The silent compass within you
Mindfulness is not a trend. It is a tool that brings you to your center. When you start to observe your thoughts, feelings, and reactions, a space is created. In this space, you can make new choices.
At the Olympic Training Center, we work specifically with micro-mindfulness—1-minute exercises to feel into the body, observe the breath, and center yourself. This moment can make the difference between reaction and conscious action.
Your everyday tools:
In everyday life, you don't need long meditation sessions or elaborate routines to strengthen your mindfulness. Just a few minutes of conscious presence can make a noticeable difference.
Here are some simple tools you can use to activate your self-awareness and strengthen your mental balance:
1-minute breathing: Breathe consciously for 1 minute every day. Set a timer, close your eyes, and consciously observe your breath. Your nervous system will noticeably slow down.
4-7-8 breathing: Intensify this exercise by breathing consciously for one minute. Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and breathe out forcefully through your mouth while counting to 8.
Mindful arrival: Whether it's your first coffee of the day or tying your shoes, use small everyday rituals and consciously focus on the moment.
This conscious practice lowers your stress level and activates your self-awareness. You become clearer, calmer, and more capable of taking action.
2. Exercise: Use physical intelligence
Mental strength begins in the body. Every emotion has a physical correlate. Stress is stored in your shoulders, fear often sits in your stomach. Exercise is not only an outlet, but a form of mental hygiene.
What I observe in professional sports:
The highest-performing athletes not only have training plans for their muscles, but also for regeneration and mobility. Why? Because a free body enables a free mind.
For you in everyday life:
5 minutes of mobilization in the morning: Start the day with a short, conscious mobilization of your body. Slowly roll your neck, circle your shoulders back and forth, and move your spine—for example, by gently doing cat-cow poses or controlled forward and backward rolls. This little routine will help you release tension, get your circulation going, and arrive mentally present for the day.
10 minutes of fresh air & walking at lunchtime: Take a conscious break from your screen. Leave your phone in your pocket, go outside, and focus on your steps, your breathing, and what you see. This simple habit will help you clear your head, regulate your nervous system, and gain new clarity for the rest of the day.
Gentle stretching or yoga in the evening: Use the evening to consciously relax your body and release tension. Sit on your mat, breathe deeply, and move slowly through gentle stretching exercises or calm yoga sequences such as forward bends, lying twists, or child's pose. Connect your movements with your breath and treat yourself to this transition into the evening as a conscious act of self-care. This will help you get a good night's sleep and bring your nervous system into balance.
Exercise has been proven to increase your energy levels, activate dopamine and serotonin, and bring you into a powerful connection with yourself.
3. Focus: Your mental safe space
In a world full of stimuli, focus is a luxury. Or rather, a privilege that you can actively take for yourself. Mental strength means not allowing yourself to be constantly distracted, but consciously controlling your focus.
Proven focus tools:
Power question in the morning: Start your day with a conscious moment of inner alignment. Sit quietly for a moment, take a deep breath, and ask yourself, “What is my most important impulse today?” Notice what comes to you spontaneously—a feeling, a thought, an action. Write down your focus point on a piece of paper or in your journal. This simple question helps you not to get lost in the hustle and bustle, but to start your day with clarity and inner guidance.
Focus sprints: Work in clearly defined blocks of time to specifically increase your mental performance. Set a timer for 25 minutes and devote yourself entirely to a single task during this time – without distractions, without multitasking. This is followed by a 5-minute conscious break: stand up, move around, drink a glass of water, or take a deep breath. This alternation between concentration and relaxation helps your brain stay focused and productive – especially in a stimulus-saturated everyday life.
Digital detox zones: Start your day without digital stimuli. Consciously refrain from checking emails, messages, or social media until at least 9 a.m. Instead, use this time for yourself—for exercise, mindfulness, or a quiet start with tea or coffee. Also, schedule fixed social media times during the day (e.g., 12–12:30 p.m. and 6–6:30 p.m.) and turn off all push notifications. This will strengthen your concentration, protect your energy levels, and keep you mentally focused.
The clearer your focus, the more mental energy you will have available for the things that are really important to you.
Recognizing mental lows and consciously addressing them
Even if you exercise regularly, you will experience mental lows. They are not a failure, but a sign: something wants to be seen, felt, integrated.
Typical signs of mental exhaustion:
You are easily irritated and emotional.
You can hardly concentrate.
Your thoughts revolve around problems.
You feel like you're “switched off.”
What helps now:
Accept instead of pushing away. The first and most important step is to consciously perceive and accept your own inner state. Instead of judging yourself or pulling yourself together, say to yourself: "Okay, it's hard right now. And that's okay." This conscious permission creates space for real change.
Go out into nature. Even a short walk in the countryside has a calming effect on your nervous system. Looking at trees, the sky, or water, feeling the wind or sunlight on your skin – all of this helps to reduce stress levels and reconnect you with yourself. Leave your cell phone in your pocket and walk slowly and mindfully.
Warmth & softness. In moments of mental exhaustion, anything that nourishes and calms you will help. Listen to music that grounds you or comforts you. Treat yourself to a warm shower or bath, feel the water on your skin. Or seek out contact with someone who is good for you – a conversation, a hug, shared silence. All of this can act like balm on an overstimulated system.
These phases are areas for practice. The more consciously you approach them, the faster you will regain your strength.
Rituals for a stable energy level in everyday life
I love rituals. They provide structure, support, and a kind of inner framework for your day. In a world full of stimuli, to-do lists, and distractions, they create little islands of clarity. Rituals help us to consciously pause, realign ourselves, and stay in touch with ourselves—especially in challenging moments.
Instead of leaving your day to chance, you can actively shape your energy level through small, recurring actions. Here are some simple and effective rituals for different times of the day:
Your powerful morning routine
The morning sets the tone for your entire day. Just a few minutes of conscious self-connection can make a big difference.
3 minutes of breath awareness: After getting up, sit upright, close your eyes, and feel your breath. Observe it without changing it. This quiet connection with yourself brings you out of autopilot and into conscious presence.
A conscious intention for the day: Formulate a clear sentence internally or in writing that will accompany you throughout the day. For example: “I will remain calm and clear today” or “I will take time for conscious breaks today.” This intention serves as an anchor in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Morning exercise: Get your circulation going with a gentle sequence of movements – e.g., neck circles, side stretches, gentle breathing yoga, or a few sun salutations. This will get your body, mind, and energy flowing.
Energy boost in the afternoon
The afternoon is often when concentration and mood drop. Instead of powering through, use targeted mini-rituals to recharge your batteries.
Digital detox for 10 minutes: Turn off all digital devices, put your cell phone away, and treat yourself to some conscious offline time. This break will bring calm to your system.
Gratitude impulse: Pause for a moment and ask yourself, “What am I grateful for right now?” Maybe it's the good conversation with a colleague, your body that carries you, or simply the cup of tea next to you. Gratitude has been proven to lift your mood.
Movement in between: Stretch at your desk, take a few steps, reach toward the ceiling, or consciously roll your shoulders. This mini-exercise brings oxygen to the brain and breaks up congestion in the body.
Evening wind-down
The evening is your chance to relax and consciously end the day.
Reflection: Ask yourself, “What was easy today? What did me good?” You can also write down what you want to let go of. This reflection creates mental order.
Breathing or meditation: Take 5 minutes for a quiet breathing exercise, a guided meditation, or a gentle body journey. This calms your nervous system and makes it easier to transition into sleep.
Conscious end to the day: Avoid scrolling, news, or disturbing content before bedtime. Make your evening screen-free and conscious. Perhaps with a book, quiet music, or a calm conversation.
Rituals structure your day. They give you orientation, grounding, and conscious transitions—from the outside to the inside, from tension to presence. And that is exactly where your strength lies.
Conclusion: Mental strength is a loving process
If I've learned one thing, it's this: mental strength is not a goal. It is a loving journey. A process that is worthwhile. Because you get to know yourself better. Because you feel that you are not dependent on everything outside yourself. Because you shape your life more consciously.
It's not about always being in balance. It's about finding your way back to it again and again.
Want to dive deeper?
Then I invite you to join my Mountain Mindset Program—a holistic training concept for mental strength, inner peace, and clear self-leadership.
You'll get access to over 100 practical lessons, meditations, mental exercises, and in-depth knowledge from the world of elite sports. The program is complemented by a workbook, an inspiring community, and, if desired, one-on-one coaching.
Mountain Mindset helps you become more resilient in the long term, bring clarity to your everyday life, and realign yourself emotionally and mentally. Flexible, well-founded, and effective.
FAQ: Mental strength in everyday life – frequently asked questions
What does mental strength mean – and how does it manifest itself in everyday life?
Mental strength means remaining conscious, clear, and capable of acting in stressful situations. In everyday life, this manifests itself, for example, in not letting external stimuli throw you off track immediately, being able to cope better with pressure, and finding your center again more quickly. It is the ability to regulate yourself – emotionally, mentally, and physically.
How can I build mental strength?
Mental strength can be trained – just like a muscle. Through regular routines such as mindfulness, conscious movement, breathing exercises, and mental focus, you can develop more inner stability. The Mountain Mindset program offers you a clear framework for integrating mental strength into your everyday life step by step.
How can I regulate my nervous system when I am under stress?
Your nervous system reacts to stress with alertness – often without you consciously controlling it. To calm it down again, you can specifically activate the parasympathetic nervous system (resting nerve). This can be achieved through slow breathing (e.g., the 4-7-8 method), mindful movement, walks in nature, or rituals such as meditation, yoga, and journaling. In the Mountain Mindset program, you will learn these techniques and how to apply them.
What exercises help against inner restlessness and racing thoughts?
Short breathing exercises, guided meditations, conscious movement, and reflection are very effective. Just 5 minutes can be enough to release your inner tension. In our Mountain Mindset program, you will find exercises suitable for everyday use to regain more focus and clarity.
How much time do I need to train my mental strength?
Just 10–20 minutes a day is enough to notice the first noticeable changes. The Mountain Mindset program is deliberately designed so that you can flexibly integrate it into your everyday life – even if you don't have much time.
Is the program suitable for me if I am very busy at work?
Yes – especially then. Many participants are busy professionals or parents. The program supports you in strengthening your mental clarity, regaining energy, and managing your time and focus more consciously.
Will I receive support or guidance?
Yes. There are regular live calls, an inspiring community, and individual feedback on your questions if needed. In addition, you can book 1:1 sessions with me personally. Feel free to contact me!
Learn more about Mountain Mindset here.
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