7 essential habits of mentally strong people

Practicing solitude

“Solitude is the strength of being alone. It’s where we become our best company,” says Jay Shetty, a former monk and author of the New York Times bestseller Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day. Spending time alone may seem boring but a study titled Solitude: An Exploration of Benefits of Being Alone shows that solitude can be hugely beneficial for your mental health. Hence, it is important to schedule a few minutes every day to spend with yourself and recharge your mind. Spending time in your own company helps you gain clarity on your life and renews your motivation to reach your goals.

Keeping emotions in check

Mentally strong people do not allow their emotions to dictate their behaviour. When faced with an uncomfortable situation, they choose to make decisions rationally rather than impulsively. This doesn’t mean they suppress their emotions and feelings. Like everyone else, they too experience sadness, embarrassment, anxiety, and a host of other emotions. And while they don’t necessarily respond to situations based on how they feel, they do acknowledge them when they are away from distractions. They understand that they have a choice in how they respond to a particular challenge and how it impacts the course of their life.

Learning from mistakes

Let’s face it, no one likes to make mistakes. They can make you feel embarrassed and frustrated. But while it is important to get things right, messing up isn’t always such a terrible thing. Mistakes can be considered a lesson in disguise. You just need to make sure that you learn something from your mistakes so that you don’t repeat them in the future. Mentally strong people embrace their mistakes because they know they will be better equipped to face challenges down the road. It is only when you feel dejected and frustrated that you try to think outside the box, and this is how you often find a much better solution to your problems.

Taking responsibility

You will rarely find mentally strong people sitting around feeling sorry for their actions or circumstances. Instead, they take full responsibility for their actions because they understand that life isn’t always fair or easy. They realise that their past choices have put them in their current position. Rather than dwelling on an unfortunate situation, they learn from it and use it to improve themselves. Also, they refrain from blaming others and take full ownership of the situation at hand.

They don’t compare themselves to others

Mentally strong people focus on the task at hand and are committed to their goals. They don’t waste their time and energy comparing themselves to other people and worrying about whether or not they measure up. They don’t pass judgement because they are empathetic and understand that everyone has something to offer. They also do not belittle other people to feel good about themselves. Instead, they appreciate and celebrate the success of others. They recognise that success comes with hard work and aren’t afraid to work towards their own chance at success.