For those into pop culture, you would be familiar with the new Marvel Cinematic Universe show “Loki”.
Not going to lie, I love this show, packed with so many mysteries and answers. In episode three, Loki and Sylvie got transported to the dying world Lamentis. There was one scene where Sylvie attempted to use her power to mind control Loki. The scene went like this:
**Sylvie using her power on Loki**
Loki: What are you doing?
Sylvie: What are you doing?
Loki: Are you trying to enchant me? It won’t work.
Sylvie: Why? Because you’re a magician?
Loki: No, because my mind is too strong.
A Strong Mind Like Loki
Now I know this is just a fictional character, but in day to day life, there are many situations where have a strong mind is extremely helpful. When we have a strong mind, we are less likely to be affected by external events, less likely to feel stressed and other unwanted emotions, we could live a much more healthier and happier life.
Remember, ships don’t sink because of all the water in the ocean. Ships sink when the water gets inside of them. If we imagine water being negative things in life, and the ship being our mind. Disasters only happen when we let the negative things in life (water) affect and come inside our mind (ship).
How to Defend Yourself from “Enchantments” and Have a Strong Mind?
Self-Confidence – One thing Loki has an abundant of is self-confidence (maybe a bit too much). It’s important to be confidence of yourself. Being self-confident means believing in yourself, feeling comfortable in your true-self and knowing what you are worth. Being self-confident means that you don’t rely on others to judge your worth. Moreover, when you are confident, set-backs don’t affect you as much, it gives you the coping skills to handle failures and to accept that failure will eventually lead to success.
Be Teachable and Self-Aware – Now, Loki is not exactly teachable, but throughout the series, he grew a lot as a character. If I had to pinpoint when, it would be when he watched the tape of how his life would have played out. He learned that his ambition lead to his mum’s death. He learned that eventually him and his brother become “brothers”. It is important for us to realise who we are and to realise that we are not perfect. Always be open to grow and learn from others. You cannot force growth where the roots are not will to take hold.
Take Care of Yourself – Self-care is quite a trendy word these days, everyone promotes it, but does everyone practice it? Self-care is important for our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. Some ways to practice self-care includes but not limited to:
- Setting boundaries (personal and professional)
- healthy work life balance
- exercising
- Eating healthily
- Practice mindfulness
- Doing what makes you happy
- Good sleep hygiene
Remember, If you don’t make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness.
Learn to Mind Control
Finally, to be like Loki, we need to learn mind control, but in our case, we need to learn to control our own mind. Learn to be aware of your thoughts, learn to monitor your thoughts as you experience happiness, sadness, or anger. As we master the super power of controlling our mind, negative events are less likely to be able to affect us emotionally and mentally.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is all about learning to master our thoughts. Clients learn to identify the reason behind certain negative thoughts. With the guidance of the psychologist, clients also learn to challenge those negative thoughts or beliefs and replace them with positive ones. No matter if you are suffering with negative thoughts or just simply want to grow yourself and have a stronger mind. See a mental health professional.
Author: Christopher Lee, B Psych Science (Hons); Masters of Psych (Clinical); MAPS
Christopher Lee is a Brisbane psychologist with a keen interest in helping teenagers and young adults with trauma, behavioural and relational issues. In addition to speaking English, Cantonese and Mandarin fluently, Christopher uses evidence-based therapy techniques such as CBT, ACT, EFT, and DBT.
To make an appointment with Christopher Lee try Online Booking. Alternatively, you can call M1 Psychology Loganholme on (07) 3067 9129 or Vision Psychology Wishart on (07) 3088 5422.
References:
- Thomas, B. (2019). Creative Coping Skills for Teens and Tweens?: Activities for Self Care and Emotional Support Including Art, Yoga, and Mindfulness. Jessica Kingsley Publishers
- Craske, M. G. (2017). Cognitive-behavioral therapy (2nd ed.). American Psychological Association.