Redefining Strength
I spent many years focusing on building physical strength—after all, it was a requirement of the job. As a Police Officer, I wanted my partner to know they could rely on me. And as a relatively small female, that meant putting in the work to be strong.
These days, my definition of strength looks very different.
Fitness, health, and physical strength still matter—but I’ve come to believe that nothing shows real strength like taking care of your mental health.
The Breaking Point
After 12 years in the Police force, I was diagnosed with Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), anxiety, and depression.
Early in my recovery, I realised I’d spent years focusing on my body—and almost nothing on my mind.
There were times I was the “fittest” I’d ever been. I looked strong on the outside. But when I reflect now, I see that my mental health was in steep decline. I was broken on the inside, and no amount of muscle could hold that together.
Due to family and personal reasons, I wasn’t willing to take medication. So I chose a different path. I started attending yoga classes—once a week, then twice, then three times.
The shift wasn’t dramatic, but it was profound.
As I moved and breathed, my nervous system began to regulate. My mind and body started to reconnect. For the first time in a long while, I felt like a whole person again.
A Nervous System Under Pressure
One of the most fascinating parts of the body is the nervous system—our internal communication network that governs how we respond to stress.
When we perceive a threat, our sympathetic nervous system kicks in with the “fight, flight, or freeze” response. This triggers stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, prepping the body to respond with heightened alertness.
But when that system is constantly activated—as it often is for first responders—it can take a toll.
Ongoing high cortisol levels can disrupt digestion, weaken immunity, and fuel anxiety and depression.
Thankfully, practices like yoga, breathwork, and mindfulness help regulate the nervous system. They activate the parasympathetic nervous system—our “rest and digest” mode—restoring balance and supporting our mental health.
Breath as a Tool
A simple way to build nervous system resilience is through your breath.
There are plenty of techniques with fancy names, but some of the most effective are the simplest.
One of my favourites is a gentle variation of box breathing. Traditionally, it’s:
Inhale for 4 → Hold for 4 → Exhale for 4 → Hold for 4,
while visualising the outline of a box.
My variation extends the exhale. That’s because the out-breath activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
Try this:
Inhale for 4 → Hold for 4 → Exhale for 6 → Hold for 4
Repeat for two minutes—or less, if that’s what feels right for your body.
It’s a small, consistent practice that can shift how your body processes stress.
Rethinking Yoga
I believe one of the best ways to support mental and physical health is to reconnect the mind and body—and yoga is a powerful tool for that.
Social media often portrays yoga as deep poses and pretzel shapes. But real yoga is so much more.
To be effective, it doesn’t have to be intense. In my experience, the opposite is true.
Stillness, rest, and tuning in to what your body needs are far more powerful than pushing through a 60-minute vinyasa just to say you did it.
Real strength comes from learning to be present. To breathe life back into yourself with awareness and intention.
That kind of resilience can’t be built in a weights session—it’s cultivated in the quiet.
If you’re used to chasing heavier lifts or faster runs, this might sound unbelievable.
But I can tell you from experience: changing your mindset, one breath at a time, is some of the deepest work you’ll ever do.
From the Gym to the Mat
Resilience and strength are built from within.
They’re built by showing up for yourself—by moving your body with compassion, not from frustration or a sense of not being enough.
Real strength appears when you can face the hard things—not because you’ve forced yourself to “push through,” but because you’ve learned tools to move through challenges calmly and consciously.
Go to the gym. Lift heavy. Run hard. I do too.
But what if you added just one hour a week of mind-body-breath work?
One hour of conscious connection—slowing down, tuning in, and rebuilding from the inside out.
You might be surprised at how your emotional and mental resilience grows—and how that strength supports the rest of your training and life.
Train your beautiful brain the way you train your body—and watch the impact ripple outward.
Final Reflection
Not all strength is visible to the eye.
What does strength mean to you?
Take a moment to really consider it—and ask yourself:
Are you training your nervous system to support the rest of your body?
Or are you leaving the most important system untrained?
By Rosie Skene
About the Author
Rosie Skene is a Yoga and Breathwork Teacher, former NSW Police Officer, suicide prevention advocate, and the founder of Tactical Yoga Australia. She helps first responders, veterans, and their families build resilience through yoga, breathwork, and nervous system education. Rosie is also the host of the Triumph Beyond Trauma podcast and believes that real strength starts from within—and that healing is always possible.
Physical strength only gets you so far. To be mentally strong and in control is real strength.