BY PAUL BRIAN
Own your life and avoid a victim mentality by taking responsibility, despite past trauma, inherited weaknesses, unfair life circumstances, physical shortcomings, or mental health struggles, without waiting for A, B, or C to happen.
Accept painful emotions for personal growth, avoid repressing or stopping them, and make decisions from a position of self-acceptance and self-honesty, rather than denying or getting rid of them the fastest way possible.
Empower yourself by creating a positive inner dialogue and seeing through negative self-talk, preventing the inner narrator from having power over your life.
Stay motivated by having a strong purpose, pursuing it with focus and energy, and not being captive to negative thoughts or others' opinions, as it gives you momentum and keeps you going.
Mentally tough people use failure and heartbreak as fuel to move forward and become stronger, by not letting these times take away their power, instead channeling pain into productivity and regaining personal power.
Mentally tough people offer respect to rivals and view competition as a way to get better, not feeling threatened or taking it personally, which allows them to tolerate pressure without overreacting.
Mentally tough individuals don't take rejection personally because it doesn't affect their basic sense of self-worth, even though it can cause sadness and anger.
Make tough decisions independently without outsourcing, as a definite marker of mental toughness.
Make friends with people of different beliefs, even with opposing views, and separate affection from disagreement without letting it ruin a friendship, as it's a sign of mental toughness.
Practice critical thinking by questioning assumptions and beliefs, including your own, as a mentally strong person who is willing to examine everything with a questioning eye, even their own core beliefs and values.
A sign of mental strength is helping others face challenges by promoting mental resilience, encouraging them to avoid victim mentality, and sharing personal approaches.