Are you finding it hard to power through challenging times? If you are, you are not alone.
Mental strength is developed over time and depends on your behavior and mindset. Similar to how your physique depends on how much you work out and what you eat. By becoming mentally strong, you can become more adaptable in your thinking, you can become more open-minded, and you can even improve your problem-solving efficiency.
That is why, to power through challenging times you need to train yourself to become a mentally stronger person. We’re not saying this is going to be an easy path to achieve mental strength. But, if you start to incorporate some of the following habits you will be on your way to a healthier mindset which is necessary to becoming mentally strong.
1. Accept that making mistakes is a part of life
Don’t assume you have wasted your time whenever you don’t achieve your expected outcome. Failure and mistakes are a natural part of life because they help us learn a lot along the way and hence, should not be perceived negatively.
Lack of action due to fear of failure is also something mentally strong people do not do because you are losing opportunities by doing this. Thus, overcoming your fear of taking action is most definitely vital. Therefore, you shouldn’t be afraid to put yourself out there with your personal or professional projects.
As popularly said, sometimes you win, and other times you learn.
2. Focus on YOU
Concentrating on what other people have and do not deserve will not get you where you think you deserve to be.
So, instead of that, focus on where you want to be and what you can do to get there. Concentrating on you and comparing yourself with only your past self is the way to a fulfilling and successful life.
Although, “the past is in the past” is popularly said, comparing yourself now to yourself in the past is important because the past can be full of mistakes and the first step to growing from them is acknowledging these mistakes. Let your mistakes set you a reminder of what you have learned so far.
3. Do not have a short term mindset
If you are reading this, you are probably working on building a stronger mindset. But, you have to know that you cannot undo many years of certain behavior in a week.
Thus, don’t expect meaningful and long-lasting change to happen in the blink of an eye. Instead, be patient and work hard. You deserve to give yourself space and time to achieve any sort of mental health improvement goal. So, take your time!
4. Don’t rely on other people’s approval
The fear of judgment is real. And in today’s world where we post a lot of our lives online, this fear can be crippling.
You have to ignore the external noise and focus on what you want to do. Connecting back to what was said in “Focus on YOU”, don’t let the fear of failure disrupt you from taking action.
So don’t avoid trying activities and projects that can bring you joy because of what others might think. Go to that dance class, join your local book club, and share your opinions, because nobody has a right to tell you what you should or should not indulge in.
The sooner you accept yourself and strive for your own happiness, the sooner you will achieve that “strong mentality” that you are aiming for.
5. Build and set boundaries
Setting a number of healthy boundaries is necessary to protect ourselves. Some may view this as an act of selfishness but in reality, it is the ultimate act of self-care and protection.
We all have a limited number of hours to give to certain tasks. Having your priorities straight and setting those boundaries is crucial to building your strong mindset. Examples of having boundaries are setting time limits to certain apps which you know distract you from work, and setting days of the weeks as your self-care days.
This may not come naturally at first to some people but acting in alignment with your values will bring you happiness in the long run.
Final Words
Change takes time. You just have to be willing to accept the change and practice implementing these changes. Having a stronger mindset by implementing these changes will help you become a stronger you. You are a priority, and that is not selfish, so take care of yourself.
Shajnin Howlader is a high school junior from New York who is passionate about writing. Her goal is to reach many people through her writing and help them.
