13 Things Mentally Tough People Don't Do

Most of the time, people are advised to think positive and wait for good things to happen. Some are even told to stay strong amid a crisis because soon things will work out just fine. There is no doubt that these words of wisdom have merit, but they do not work when people still choose to engage in their unhealthy behavior. 

Negative thoughts, emotions, and feelings are sabotaging you in so many ways. They hinder you from building up on your mental health. Doing away with all this negativity can bring back the life in you. 

Discovering The Habits Of Mentally Strong People

If you want to become better, you need to include mentally strong people's habits into your daily routine. Think of it as if you were dealing with your physical health. 

People who want to build up their physical health go to the gym and exercise regularly. On top of that, they also control their food intake to make sure that they lose fat and build muscle. 

And yet, what people fail to see is that apart from engaging in healthy lifestyle practices, they have to give up on life's unhealthy aspects. This includes removing junk food from their diet. 

No exercise will ever be effective if people still choose to eat unhealthily. The same is true for those who are trying to work on their mental health. If you want to be emotionally strong, then you have to power yourself with positive thoughts. 

Let go of the negativity as you don't need it in your life. Only a tough person knows how to choose his battles and only chooses to deal with what is truly important. 

In addition to all the healthy and positive habits you put in place, it is best to get rid of the things and people that are detrimental to your overall mental health.

Top Things Mentally Healthy People Do Not Do

The last thing you want is to be like people who use others. You are not that person. That's not good for you and not good for others either. While working on your mental health, here are the top things you need to avoid doing:

Feel sorry for yourself

Strong-willed personality traits include overcoming what is inevitable in life. Remember that life's problems are a part of who you are but do let it overwhelm you. Feeling sad at times may be good, but feeling sorry for yourself is a big no-no. 

Whenever it feels like you cannot take what's happening, train your brain to exchange those worries with thoughts of gratitude. Look at what you have. Don't' waste your time thinking about things that are beyond your control. 

Give others power

Blaming others for how you feel is putting the power to control your life in their hands. Instead, take back the power by taking responsibility for what is happening to you. Other people may say bad things about you, but only you can make yourself feel bad about it. 

Empower yourself as this is an essential aspect of building mental health. To create the life you want to live, you have to work hard to make it happen. 

Reject change

While the safest place to be is within your comfort zone, avoiding obstacles will not make you grow. Build upon yourself by taking on new challenges. They may be difficult in the beginning, but they can only help you become better. The more you practice tolerating the difficult things in life, the more you get used to them. 

In turn, your mind will keep pushing you to your limits. You'll have the courage to take on something new and create beautiful memories and experiences in the long run. 

Waste time-fighting things beyond their control

Often, people find themselves worrying about the storm. Mentally strong people do not worry about when the storm is going to come. Instead, they focus on preparing themselves for it. 

Invest your time and energy on things that you can control. Devote your energy to being productive. 

Working to please others

Pleasing others can come in many forms. While some say that they don't care about what others say, the truth is that these statements may only be their defense mechanism against rejection. 

It takes a lot of courage and strength to do things that do not often favor popular opinion. However, living up to your true self according to the values you believe in is one of the components of mentally-healthy people. Even when your choices are not popular, you live by them because that's how true you are. 

Having a fear of taking risks

Every risk that people take is based on their emotions. Minimal regard is given to the rationalization of risks. Sadly, emotions are often too irrational, making them unreliable when it comes to deciding which risk to take and which ones to let go of. 

But then again, you don't become extraordinary by doing what everyone else is doing. You only achieve that when you take on the risks and learn something new. Remember to carefully think and weigh your options before deciding to make sure that you make good and interesting choices. 

Live in the past

Reflecting on the things that happened or what you have done in the past helps build your mental health. However, dwelling in these past events could be bad for you. The best thing to do instead is to make peace with the past, so you can continue to live in the present and plan for the future.

No misfortunes of the past should hinder you from trying things out again. In truth, dealing with the past is a necessary step in becoming a better version of yourself. 

Make the same mistakes

The mistakes you did in the past should teach you a thing or two about life. But then, everyone is prone to repeating the same mistakes as if a lesson was never learned. 

Learning from your mistakes requires humility from your end. So instead of making excuses or blaming others, make these mistakes opportunities for learning.

Resent others' success

There are moments when you feel envy towards a coworker who recently got promoted or a friend who talked about finding the love of her life. While these emotions are normal, resenting others for the good that is happening to them is not going to help you at all. 

Secure your own definition of what success means and be committed to working hard to achieve that. 

Give up after failing

It is normal to feel discouraged or embarrassed when your first attempt at doing things does not work out as planned. But failing is a part of life. People fail not because they did not try hard enough. They fail because they still have a thing or two they need to learn before they achieve success. 

Mentally strong people view failure as a stepping stone to success. If you quit after you fail, then you have genuinely failed yourself. So keep trying and keep learning more.

Fear being alone

While you may be used to having people around you all the time, having some time alone can help you build on your mental strength. Mentally strong people do not fear being left alone. They love how it feels to have some time for themselves. They use it to reflect on their progress and be creative in identifying their goals. 

Feel like the world owes them a great deal

Your sense of entitlement will eat out the best of you. The world does not owe you anything. If you are too focused on getting what you think you deserve, you will never get things right. Instead, focus on improving yourself and sharing what you have and what you know with others. 

Expecting immediate results

If you are not used to waiting and demanding that things happen when you want them to happen, you surely are in for many disappointments. Self-growth takes time. Allow yourself to grow graciously. Take on the attitude of learning at your own pace. 

What's Your Takeaway?

Whether you are a struggling parent trying to be more patient or an athlete working on improving your skills, building mental strength can help you on so many levels. Identifying the pitfalls that might lead you to negativity is also one of the best things you can do for yourself.