10 Ways To Be a Mentally Stronger Individual

10 Ways To Be a Mentally Stronger Individual

Become mentally strong by replacing unhealthy thoughts, behaviours and feelings that sabotage your best efforts for a better life. And learn how to regulate your thoughts, feelings and behaviour to boost your productivity and life in general. Here are 10 ways to be a mentally stronger individual.

Our minds, like our bodies, require constant work to function at their optimum. Building a stronger mind requires practice and exercise. It is then important to adopt good habits but also avoid pitfalls. Whether you want to become a better parent, a better partner or a better athlete or professional, these 10 ways to be a mentally stronger individual might help you get started in the right direction.

1. Get a hold of your emotions

Think about how you deal with your emotions. Do you binge drink or eat your emotions? Do you retreat to your bedroom and get into bed and sleep for hours when you’re sad? We are all guilty of engaging in one or two of them, none of them are healthy ways to deal with our emotions. Mentally strong individuals have coping mechanisms in place that we can use too.

Instead of engaging in self-destructive ways try meditating, empty your mind and push negative emotions and thoughts out. The calm will set in and your mind will be better equipped to find positive and constructive solutions to the problem.

Another way is to write a journal and vent out and let bad energy escape through the written word. Putting your thoughts on paper will better help you find a positive answer. Last go for a walk or a run. Exercise helps you burn bad energy and releases endorphins which will make you feel better.

2. Learn to say ‘no’

Learn to say ‘no’ more often. Too often, we are stressed and feel burned out because we over-commit. Don’t be afraid to say  ‘no’ to indulge in some me-time. You need time to recharge and if you overcommit because you are not able to say no you end up burning out, feeling stressed and not finding joy. Say ‘no’ more often and your body and mind will thank you.

3. Don’t blame others

Mentally strong individuals do not blame others for their mistakes or shortcomings. They acknowledge their mistakes and make amendments not to repeat them again. They positively move forward. Mentally strong people learn from their mistakes.

4. Delay gratification

In modern society gratification is instantaneous and delaying gratification sounds wrong. However, science tells us that delaying gratification will help us succeed. There’s a well known Stanford University study in which a researcher tested the willpower of children by giving them a marshmallow before leaving the room for 15 minutes. The children were told that they could eat the marshmallow immediately, but if they waited until the researcher returned, they’d get a second one.

After 40 years of research, it was found that the children who patiently waited those agonising 15 minutes and got a second marshmallow went on to be more successful in life than those who couldn’t resist and had higher SAT scores, more successful careers, and even lowers BMI.

Success usually comes down to choosing the pain of discipline over ease of distraction.

5. Have no sense of entitlement

There are many among us who feel a sense of entitlement and it’s easy to feel that way, but not mentally strong individuals. They know that the world owes them nothing. Instead of focusing on what the world owes them, they focus on what they can gift to the world. We all have gifts and strength we can make shine and use to our and other advantages.

6. Be grateful

It’s easy to get caught on ‘what could have been’ sentiment, mentally strong people know that’s a vacuum of wasted energy and feelings. Instead, they focus on being grateful for what they have and take the time to enjoy it and be in the moment. How do you practice being grateful? Before you go to sleep, take a notepad and write one, two or three things you are grateful for each day. It’s an effective way to feel accomplished and happy with your life

7. Practice patience

The art of patience is yet to viral. Patience is a quality that is often underrated but is key to personal and professional success. You have heard the popular saying ” Good things come to those who wait.” Wise words. Nothing good gets done in a rush. Great things are accomplished when careful thought and work are put into it. Mentally strong people know that true change takes time and they’re willing to work hard to see results.

8. Spend time alone

In today’s face paced world, time alone is an elusive beast. Who has time for quiet time? Although initially, it might feel like a waste of time, time alone is of the essence to build a strong mind. Mentally strong individuals create time alone to reflect on the present, think about the future goals and to generally collect their thoughts.

9. Be optimistic

Being optimistic can influence more than just your mood. “People who are optimistic are more committed to their goals, are more successful in achieving their goals, are more satisfied with their lives, and have better mental and physical health when compared to more pessimistic people,” says Suzanne Segerstrom, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky. This implies that optimistic people are mentally stronger and that’s why you should become an optimistic person. Even if it does not come naturally to you, you can pretend and the best thing is that it has the same benefits.

According to a therory called Facial Feedback , you can fake optimism by forcing a smile which can alter your emotional state, just as emotions cause facial expressions. Meaning that emotions and facial expressions essentially operate in a feedback loop, so based on this, simply forcing yourself to smile and laugh can create an emotional shift and take you from gloomy or impartial to happy. A theory worth trying.

10. Aren’t afraid of pain and failure

This reminds me of Sylvester Stallone’s inspirational speech which says it all.

“Nobody is gonna hit as hard as life, but it ain’t how hard you can hit. It’s how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. It’s how much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning done.”

Mentally strong people know that to get what they want in life they need to endure pain. In life, you need to endure pain, overcome difficulties and put effort into the things you desire. That’s what makes it all worth it.

The good news is, that everyone can build mental strength. But before then, they need to acknowledge the evasive and destructive behaviour, thoughts and feelings that prevent them from reaching their full potential. Create healthier habits and build a stronger mind

H/T: Psychology Today / Entrepreneur/ Maxim