Adrian Volenik
Being mentally strong is one of the best personality traits you can have. It helps you go through life’s ups and downs with ease, and that means a lot.
But there are things mentally strong people do every day without even realizing it. These actions and habits help them stay grounded and keep their cool in the long run.
So without delay, let’s see what those important behaviors are.
1) Creative expression
How do you become and stay mentally strong?
One of the ways is to do things you love every day and by having a creative outlet.
Strong-willed people use creative outlets like art, writing, or music to process emotions and explore their inner thoughts and feelings.
This helps them stay level-headed as they go through life’s challenges because they have something else to fall back to.
2) Limiting social media usage
It’s well-known that social media is often very harmful to our mental health. However, we still stick to it as a way to escape our every day worries.
Many mentally strong people I know use social media.
But unlike others, they mostly use it professionally to market their products or brands or expand their network.
They don’t use social media for personal use to avoid comparison and negative influences, which impact mental well-being.
But did you know you can retrain the algorithm only to show you useful stuff?
TikTok even has a setting where you can reset the feed and start all over again.
3) Learning from failures of others
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
– George Santayana
Learning things on your own skin is the worst kind of learning. It’s far better to learn from the failure of others than to fail yourself, don’t you agree?
Instead of just fearing failure, resilient people study the failures of others and learn valuable lessons without having to experience the same setbacks firsthand.
4) Reading or watching inspiring stories
Whenever I feel self-doubt or uninspired, I love turning to others’ inspirational stories.
Whether it’s a book or a YouTube video, they get me fired up again as I gain a new perspective on what incredible things are possible to achieve.
Mentally strong people also seek out stories of resilience and triumph to gain inspiration and perspective.
They understand that challenges and setbacks are the best ways to grow and strengthen.
5) Talking to themselves
Do you often talk to the smartest person in the room (you)? If not, you should start.
Mentally strong people often self-talk to reinforce positive affirmations, motivate themselves, or work through complex problems. This internal dialogue is a form of self-encouragement and helps them stay focused.
But self-talk is also a valuable tool for managing stress and anxiety. By telling themselves, “I can handle this,” or “Take a deep breath; you’ve got this,” they better handle their emotions and cope with pressure during times of stress.
6) Embracing discomfort
Most people would bend over backward just to avoid feeling any discomfort. I should know because, for the longest time, I was also that person.
I waited for everything to fall into my lap and never wanted to take a leap.
But instead of avoiding discomfort, mentally strong people intentionally put themselves in challenging or uncomfortable situations to build resilience and overcome fears.
For example, someone with a stable job decides to leave the security of their career to start their own business. They embrace the uncertainty, financial risks, and challenges that come with entrepreneurship.
Or when a person who isn’t particularly athletic signs up for a marathon. They push their physical limits and adopt the discomfort of training and partaking in the event.
7) Regular exposure to nature
Mentally strong people seem to prioritize nature walks, camping, or other outdoor activities to recharge.
They consciously or subconsciously know that nature gives them a sense of peace and perspective.
Being in parks, forests, beaches, or mountains helps reduce stress levels and stimulates relaxation.
But it also encourages a sense of mindfulness and being present in the moment.
8) Stay in the present
It’s harder than ever just to enjoy the moment, isn’t it? We’re constantly bombarded with notifications, emails, and even those annoying robocalls.
But you may have noticed one common denominator – your phone. By simply turning off your phone, you can save yourself a lot of this hassle.
It’s corny to say enjoy the moment, but that’s what we should all be doing. There will always be fears of wars, gun violence, and economic downturns.
Mentally strong people practice mindfulness to anchor themselves in the here and now, preventing unnecessary worries about the future or ruminating over the past.
Staying present helps them fully engage with their current experiences.
9) Using humor as a coping mechanism
A good sense of humor is often the only thing that can raise us from the gutter.
When faced with stressful or tense situations, mentally strong people use humor to lighten the mood and reduce emotional intensity.
And by making others smile or laugh, they create a more relaxed atmosphere, making it easier to address the problem constructively.
Ultimately, they find ways to inject humor into challenging situations, recognizing that laughter is a powerful tool for stress relief.
Think about that for a moment.
10) Focus on solutions
When faced with challenges, mentally strong people avoid getting stuck in negativity or dwelling on the problem.
Instead, they proactively look for solutions, explore different strategies, and stay determined to overcome obstacles.
They also keep their emotions in check and avoid making impulsive decisions driven by frustration or anger, as such decisions often don’t lead to the best solutions.
But they also know that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. They aren’t afraid to reach out to experts or find guidance from others who can contribute to finding effective and practical solutions.
11) Engaging in “productive procrastination”
Engaging in “productive procrastination” or procrastivity is an exciting concept that some mentally strong people use in their daily routines.
But what exactly is it?
It simply means that you channel the urge to procrastinate into other productive tasks or activities instead of completely avoiding responsibilities or necessary duties.
For example, if you’re working out but you’re sick of the gym and the same old routine.
Instead of skipping exercising, you can try a new physical activity, like dancing, hiking, or yoga.
This will allow you to stay active while preventing workout burnout and maintaining your enthusiasm for fitness.
12) Accept imperfection
Being a perfectionist is often one of the main things holding you back. It typically unnecessarily prolongs whatever you’re trying to achieve.
Rather than striving for perfection, mentally strong people understand that mistakes and flaws are a natural part of being human.
They learn from their errors, avoid self-criticism, and use setbacks as opportunities for self-improvement.
Accepting imperfection also allows them to take calculated risks without the fear of failure holding them back.
I find this very important. What do you think?
13) Practice self-compassion
We’re often way too hard on ourselves. We don’t forgive past mistakes and don’t have almost any compassion.
On the other hand, mentally strong people treat themselves with the same kindness and understanding they’d offer a friend in distress.
Instead of engaging in harsh self-criticism or negative self-talk, they choose to be gentle and encouraging with themselves.
Being overly critical only damages their self-esteem and hampers personal growth. But they also set realistic expectations for themselves.
14) Visualizing success
Visualization techniques are well-known tools athletes and successful people use to imagine themselves succeeding in their ambitions, improving their self-belief and motivation.
Mentally strong people may use it without even knowing when they picture themselves successfully navigating through tasks, facing challenges with confidence, and achieving their goals.
And when facing self-doubt or fear, they use visualization to see themselves successfully overcoming those obstacles. As this technique helps them build resilience and deal with challenges head-on.
15) Practicing random acts of kindness
Last but certainly not least, mentally strong people make kind gestures for strangers or loved ones. One of the reasons they do it is their belief that it can create a positive feedback loop, boosting their overall sense of well-being.
You see, these small acts can have a ripple effect, brightening someone’s day and creating a more positive environment for everyone involved.
It can be as simple as complimenting your co-worker about their appearance or outfit, for example.
That’s often more than enough to lift their spirits and leave them with a smile on their face. And who knows, they might “pay it forward” to someone else too.
Final thoughts
Mentally strong people obviously do many things right. I hope this article will help you unlock some of that potential you carry inside so you can achieve all the things you’re meant to achieve.
