10 things mentally tough people do every day (without even realizing it)
Mentally tough individuals don’t often get enough credit.
Our minds being such impenetrable fortresses which only our inner voices and self-critics inhabit, it’s often impossible to realize quite how much fight they have to give on a daily basis.
Many of us are constantly tested and pushed to our limits in today’s world.
Knowing this, it’s these hardy individuals who usually have a set of polished habits which help them get through the trials and tribulations life has to offer.
So, what exactly can you learn from these bounce-back-individuals?
(That is, if you don’t already classify yourself as one.)
Or might you already be tougher than you thought?
Read on to learn about the 10 things mentally tough people do each and every day (often without realizing it) to see where your own toughness resides:
1) You embrace challenges
Mentally tough individuals don’t shirk from a challenge.
In fact, in the face of adversity, they step it up – they don’t fall back.
I think of this one myself often when walking uphill. Quite literally, as my family loves a good hike and I was brought up on 4 hour country climbs.
Now, faced with huffing and puffing and a difficult uphill climb, you have one of two choices; you either stop, slow down, and complain, making the entire climb longer…
Or you start pushing yourself harder. You quit complaining about something that needs to be done anyway and push yourself to walk a little bit faster and get the whole thing over and done quicker.
If, faced with a difficult climb or any other type of challenge, you’re the sort of person who pulls themself together and gets on with it, consider yourself mentally tough.
You’ve already exceeded at thriving under pressure and not allowing yourself to buckle.
In using these challenges as opportunities to grow and improve, rather than seeing them as insurmountable barriers, you’re proving your elite mental strength already.
So when confronted with hardship, you don’t shy away; instead, you dig in your heels and face it head-on.
2) You take responsibility
Responsibility.
A terrifying word, quite frankly.
As often it is not the actions of others which can do us the most harm, but the guilt and shame from our own wrongdoings which haunts us.
But faced with the consequences of your actions, you’re presented with two choices;
- You point fingers in all directions bar your own, and try to blame the weather/your dog/your grandma (as not facing the heat seems like a far easier option),
- You accept your part in the wrongdoings, own up, and learn what you can from your mistakes.
Which would you pick?
If you voted for the latter, you’re likely the type who doesn’t shy away from owning up to your own mistakes.
Now, this is not always easy and you might get tempted to roll up and hide from blame, but you also understand that it’s a necessary part of growth and self-improvement. So you don’t.
By taking responsibility, you’re simply acknowledging that you’re human and prone to mistakes, just like everyone else.
You know that how you handle these mistakes and what you do in the future is what truly defines you as a person.
3) You practice mindfulness
What better way to hone your mental resilience and practice how well you cope with challenges than to practice mindfulness?
Because if you’re not in control of your emotions, not able to slow down and reflect on what you’re feeling and why, then how do you pick yourself up and keep going?
Mindfulness meaning different things to different people, you’ve likely dabbled here and there and settled on what works for you.
Walking, meditating, exercise, sauna-time. You know how your own mind works and regularly implement practices that benefit your attention, memory, empathy and self-regulation.
No matter how busy you are, you find time for mindfulness as you know that by practicing it, you’re engaging with the present moment and setting a strong foundation for mental toughness.
4) You maintain a positive attitude
Not in a toxic positivity, just-be-happy it-could-be-worse kind of way.
But not in a sad dragging-your-feet Eeyore kind of way either.
No – you’re the type who understands the power of positivity and its impact on your mental resilience.
Even when things don’t go as planned, you choose to focus on the silver lining instead of dwelling on the downsides and the negatives in everything.
You let yourself feel the negatives, sure, but you just don’t let them control you or your emotional responses.
And by maintaining a positive attitude, you’re choosing to see opportunities in difficulties rather than allowing obstacles to hinder your progress.
5) You’re not afraid of failure
Following on from responsibility, failure is also a pretty terrifying concept.
But you’re not the type to set off running and hiding when you slip up or do something wrong.
Because just as you face responsibility for your actions, you also see failure as a stepping stone to success. You understand that mistakes and setbacks are inevitable parts of life and that they provide valuable lessons for growth and improvement.
And sure, if you’re brutally honest, failure sucks and does leave you quaking sometimes. It’s uncomfortable, it’s painful, and it can be downright embarrassing.
But deep down, you know that not trying at all and regretting all the missed opportunities you could have had sucks far, far more.
6) You practice self-care
Just as you employ mindfulness to help you tend to your mind, you also look after your body with equal prioritization and diligence.
You’re the type who understands that taking care of your mental and physical wellbeing isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity.
You know that to be your best self, you need to feel your best self, and that requires giving yourself the care and attention you deserve.
So be it a lengthy skincare regime, a penchant for eating slightly pricier organic fruits and veggies, or a weekly night out on the dance floor shaking your worries away, you make sure to keep all these habits in the forefront of your life.
7) You set boundaries
Unsurprisingly, mental resilience involves a great deal of boundary construction and maintenance.
Because it’s easy to say I won’t let someone invade my personal space or take advantage of me, but faced with the reality of such a situation, many grow lenient and allow it to happen.
But if you’re the type who knows your limits and isn’t afraid to communicate them to others, you’re already showing exemplary mental toughness.
And whether it’s at work, in relationships, or even with yourself, you understand the importance of setting and maintaining boundaries to protect your time, energy, and mental health.
You know where to draw the line in helping others and respecting yourself, and balance kindness and compromise with protecting your own peace.
8) You celebrate the little wins
Big promotions, big life changes, they’re all worth celebrating.
But you also clap your hands and pat yourself on the bag for the little wins, too.
Because you’re the type who knows that every step forward, no matter how small, is still progress.
And whether that’s finally finishing your laundry, submitting a big project or finally learning the piano, you celebrate each and every small win.
This ability to celebrate even the little wins makes you feel good about yourself and it keeps you motivated to work hard and achieve the big things, too.
9) You don’t make excuses
We spoke already about how mentally tough individuals don’t shrink from responsibility nor avoid things out of a fear of failure…
An extra branch off from this resilience is the fact that they never use excuses to run from blame, too.
So if you never point fingers at others or come laden with excuses as to why something isn’t finished, isn’t finished well, or why you can’t finish it, you’re doing better than most.
Making excuses is easy.
It’s much harder to admit when we’ve messed up or fallen short.
But by refusing to make excuses, you’re showing your resilience and owning up to the weight that your actions have in the world – which is all in all pretty damn commendable.
10) You persevere
Finally, the last but most critical trait of mentally tough individuals is their perseverance.
Even when things get tough, if you’re the type to keep going and jog up the hill, you have some pretty gritty resilience
And at the end of the day, it’s not only about completing tasks quicker – it’s about endurance. It’s about having the tenacity to keep pushing forward, no matter what.
By persevering, you’re embodying the very essence of mental toughness.
You’re showing that even in the face of setbacks, you have unwavering courage in yourself and can pick yourself back up and keep trying, no matter what,
Final words
Being mentally tough is sometimes not easy, at least for how it is perceived in society.
You may well be seen as intense, too serious, or even unyielding, but that’s simply because society sometimes struggles to grasp the strength and discipline it takes to cultivate such resilience.
But trust me – cultivating the above traits and habits takes such a huge amount of resilience and determination, the grit for which will take you far and wide in navigating life’s challenges.
So give yourself a pack on the back, rest easy, and keep doing what you’re doing – you’re already showing that you possess the perfect combination for success.