Forbes released an article entitled Mentally Strong People: The 13 Things They Avoid, and it’s one of the best pieces I’ve read in quite some time. It’s not only applicable to the business world; it applies to life in general too. Amy Morin, a psychotherapist and licensed clinical social worker compiled the list, and then Cheryl Conner commented on the list in a piece for Forbes. The following is the list attracting so much attention; it’s what mentally strong people do NOT do:
- Waste Time Feeling Sorry for Themselves.
- Give Away Their Power.
- Shy Away from Change.
- Waste Energy on Things That He/She Can’t Control.
- Worry About Pleasing Others.
- Fear Taking Calculated Risks.
- Dwell on the Past.
- Make the Same Mistakes Over and Over.
- Resent Other People’s Success.
- Give Up After Failure.
- Fear Alone Time.
- Feel the World Owes Them Anything.
- Expect Immediate Results.
Mental Strength is Powerful for You & for Others
The common theme of the above list is that to be mentally strong is to find peace in knowing you always try your best, and when you know how to do or be better, that’s what you do and become. Most importantly, perhaps, is that a mentally strong person understands that someone else’s light does not take away from their own. If anything, someone’s bright light makes other people’s worlds even brighter, if the light is allowed to do just that.
It may sound painfully optimistic to always see your cup as half full, but that’s what mentally strong individuals do when it comes to their outlook. They don’t feel sorry for themselves. They don’t let others make them feel bad about themselves or their decisions. They see change as an opportunity to improve. They don’t beat their head against the wall about things outside of their power to control. They keep it moving forward because they can’t change the past. They are resilient and know their effort directly links to their success, and they know that results take time.
Mental strength is a close cousin to self-confidence, ambition, and happiness. When mental strength is strong, often its close cousins are too. Strengthen your mental health, and you stand a chance to gain a great deal both within your personal and professional worlds.
Author: Evelyn Lindell
