Where does mental strength come from?

Dear Reader,

Here are three questions for you to ponder:

  1. What exactly is mental strength?
  2. Where does it come from?
  3. And, if you want more of it, how can you get it?

According to Amy Morin, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Writer at LifeHack, there are 13 things mentally tough people don’t do.

She clearly struck a nerve in compiling this list. Since she published the post on LifeHack, it’s been shared 737,000 times; and then after Forbes picked up the theme that article has seen over 5 million views.

What is mental strength?

Mental strength goes by a lot of different names: determination, tenacity, grit, resilience, and even confidence. Mentally strong people practice healthy habits even when they don’t feel like it. They have the capacity to manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in ways that allow them to reduce stress quickly–or sidestep it (constructively) from the start.

Being mentally tough sets one up for success in life–and a life by design. And, from the perspective of Healthy Sense of Self,  it takes having a Sense of Self that is healthy and strong to foster mental strength in the first place.

Where does mental strength come from?

From the time we are born, we are on a journey of self-development that either supports or hinders our ability to develop mental strength.

Chances are it is going to be a mixed bag of emotional experiences that will also impact our sense of our self-image, self-confidence, and self-esteem.

How mentally tough do you feel?

Consider Amy Morin’s original list and ask yourself, “What am in agreement with?”

  1. They Don’t Waste Time Feeling Sorry for Themselves
  2.  They Don’t Give Away Their Power
  3. They Don’t Shy Away from Change
  4. They Don’t Waste Energy on Things They Can’t Control
  5. They Don’t Worry About Pleasing Everyone
  6. They Don’t Fear Taking Calculated Risks
  7. They Don’t Dwell on the Past
  8. They Don’t Make the Same Mistakes Over and Over
  9. They Don’t Resent Other People’s Success
  10. They Don’t Give Up After the First Failure
  11. They Don’t Fear Alone Time
  12. They Don’t Feel the World Owes Them Anything
  13. They Don’t Expect Immediate Results

Next, I took myself on a bit of an intuitive goose chase on LifeHack as I followed one post to another reading comments and suggested articles. I encountered mixed reactions to some of the suggested ways to develop mental toughness, emotional intelligence, and why unhappy people stay unhappy. BUT I also found this inspiring “list-style” post as well on 10 things happy people do differently.

It appears that people spend a lot of time considering what makes them happy and unhappy, how they would like things to be different, and how to be  mentally stronger, more productive; and at the end of each day sleep peacefully.

With a Healthy Sense of Self,  the goals we set for ourselves won’t be undone by obstacles because we’ll have the mental strength to neutralize or remove them.

I humbly suggest one solution created by Healthy Sense of Self. Do what it takes to restore and strengthen your Sense of Self. You can start by taking a 90-second quiz we designed to help you sort out what is the state of your Sense of Self.

What can you do next? Explore the Sense of Self-help Online Course to cultivate a Healthy Sense of Self in yourself. What’s in it for you? You’ll gain a new level of self-awareness, develop mental strength, and the capacity to experience more happiness and satisfaction in life. 

Are you game for being true to your Self and making the world a better place too?

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