When life knocks you down, are you quick to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep moving forward? Or do you tend to break down and spend lots of time wallowing in self-pity and doubt? There are times in our lives when we feel like we can handle anything and then there are days when the smallest setback seems insurmountable. The difference isn’t our circumstances. It’s our mental strength.
As we talked about in our previous article, mental strength is how effectively someone deals with the challenges, pressures and stressors they may face. Some call it grit, others call it resilience or toughness. And fortunately, it’s something that can be worked on and improved with the right techniques. Just as physical strength can be built, mental strength can be also be built with the right habits, consistency, and well, grit. Here are 9 ways to start:
• Don’t shy away from change – as much as many us hate it, change really is the only constant
• Don’t ruminate on the past – focus on what lies ahead
• Focus on what you can control – discerning what you can and can’t control keeps you positive and motivated
• Develop a daily routine – developing consistent habits, no matter how small, can help you make meaningful progress
• Take action – it doesn’t matter how small the steps, action builds confidence and keeps you moving forward
• Don’t focus on your weaknesses – focusing on your strengths helps you grow much faster than trying to improve your weaknesses
• Try to see failure as an opportunity – failure is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to define you and, with the right mindset, can be a catalyst for growth
• Don’t dwell in self-pity – we all know life can be hard sometimes, but dwelling on our circumstances keeps us from emerging from them and moving forward
• Don’t compare yourself to others – define your own version of success that has nothing to do with others’ strengths and accomplishments
And here’s one more – keep your connections strong! No one needs to go it alone. If you feel like you’re struggling with building and maintaining mental strength or you lead a team that could use some help, working with a coach, like Leah M Joppy and Associates, can be incredibly beneficial. Coaching can help you face your fears head on, increase adaptability, build motivation, establish consistent routines and habits and so much more. Building mental strength is not about beating yourself up when you feel like you’re not as productive as you should be or reaching your goals on your self-imposed timeline. Practicing self-compassion is a crucial component and actually helps us build resilience.
Interested in learning more and get started on a path to change? Call us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com.