Strength isn’t limited to bulging muscles and the ability to lift heavy objects. Strength also refers to your mental habits; your perseverance or your ability to stay positive through the tough times can show strength, too.
So how do you know if you’re mentally tough? There are 10 things that all strong people know, from the way they view themselves, to the way they view others. Do these things sound like you? Then you must be mentally strong!
1. You’re emotionally intelligent
Intelligence is not only measured by your IQ, but your emotional intelligence–your EQ–is just as important. Being able to turn a negative into a positive and use bad emotions constructively can make you a very strong individual. And if you don’t have this skill, don’t worry. Your EQ is a fluid number, and you can definitely learn.
2. You’re confident
Confident, but not cocky. You understand the difference, and that being confident is the only way to live life. You don’t tear yourself down, but instead, focus on all the qualities that make you a great person. Maybe you have an interesting skill, or maybe not. But you know you are special no matter what.
3. You don’t let toxic people affect you
You can’t always avoid toxic people in life–sometimes they are your coworkers or family. But you do know how to neutralize the negativity and not let others bring you down. You can understand anger and frustration when you feel it, and you don’t let those feelings (either in yourself or others) hinder your ability to stay strong in your own life.
4. You aren’t afraid of change
Flexibility is a common quality of those who are mentally strong. The ability to embrace change is a good thing, and embracing the changes life throws at you means you’re more likely to appreciate those aspects of your life.
5. You can say “no”
You know that you don’t always have to say “yes”, but that saying “no” sometimes is perfectly healthy. You don’t let others walk over you, and you understand how many commitments you can take on at once. You can confidently say “no” when you need to, without feeling stress or worry about it.
6. You don’t embrace fear
Fear is something that mentally strong people refuse to let stop them. You know that letting fear stop you from trying something new can only lead to regret. Being afraid isn’t wrong–but you shouldn’t let it take over your life. Instead, strong people work past their fear to embrace new experiences.
7. You do embrace failure
You know failure isn’t something to fear; instead, you use your failure to encourage you. That old phrase “try try again” is true. Making a mistake doesn’t mean you should quit, it means that you now know what not to do, so when you try again, you might succeed.
8. You don’t tear others down
Jealousy has no place in the mind of someone who is mentally tough. You can be happy for someone else’s achievements–they didn’t take anything away from you. Furthermore, emotionally strong people don’t judge others based on their appearance, because everyone has something great to offer.
9. You exercise
Research shows that those who work out see positive effects other than a healthy body, like higher self esteem, and better social skills. And adding other healthy things to your lifestyle leads to emotional intelligence as well–getting enough sleep, and limiting the amount of caffeine in your diet. You can’t have a healthy brain without having a healthy body.
10. You have a positive outlook
Mentally strong people don’t let the world or negative outside forces get in their way. You understand that if you don’t like something about your life, you can do something about it. You focus on the good things instead of dwelling on the things that are outside of your control, and you are happier and healthier for it.
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