13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do: Take Back Your Power, Embrace Change, Face Your Fears, and Train Your Brain for Happiness and Success

I knew that time doesn’t heal anything; it’s how we deal with that time that determines the speed at which we heal.

Developing mental strength is about improving your ability to regulate your emotions, manage your thoughts, and behave in a positive manner, despite your circumstances.

But rather than complain about people who aren’t mentally strong, commit to being a healthy role model for others. Teach your children how to be mentally strong because clearly, they’re not learning these skills in the outside world. But if you work on striving to be your best, people around you, including your children, will take notice.

Be on the lookout for times when you’re feeling sorry for yourself, fearing calculated risks, feeling like the world owes you something, fearing alone time, resenting other people’s success, or worrying about pleasing everyone. Don’t allow those types of feelings to hold you back from reaching your full potential. Remember, if you want to change how you feel, you have to change how you think and behave

Self-discipline is more important than IQ when it comes to predicting academic success

Pace yourself. No matter what you’re doing, you’ll be at risk for burnout if you expect immediate results. Pace yourself so you can be methodical in your attempts to move toward reaching your goals. Learning the value of a slow and steady pace can help you gain patience and ensure that you’re on the right track rather than rushing as fast as you can to get what you want

Instead of thinking about what is “right” or “wrong” or how things “should be,” mindfulness allows you to accept your thoughts for what they are in the moment. Mindfulness raises your awareness and helps you to “zone in” on each activity you’re doing throughout the day

Mindfulness is about developing an acute awareness of what is happening within the moment without forming judgment. In today’s world we’re tempted to multitask almost every minute of the day. We send text messages while walking the dog, we listen to the radio while we’re cleaning the kitchen, or we try to carry on a conversation with someone while we’re typing on our laptops. Instead of being mindful of what we’re doing, we’re zoned out. Our mind wanders in the midst of a conversation. We can’t remember what we did with our car keys even though we just had them in our hands. And we can’t recall whether we washed our hair already while we’re in the shower.

The research on mindfulness shows a lot of similar benefits to meditation: reduced stress, fewer depressive symptoms,

• Sit in a Relaxed Position—Find a position that allows you to keep your spine straight, either in a chair or on the floor.

• Focus on Your Breath—Take deep slow breaths and really feel your breath as you inhale and as you exhale.

• Return Your Consciousness to Your Breath—Your mind will wander and thoughts will enter your mind. When they do, return your focus to your breathing.

understanding that everyone has shortcomings, including you, and that failure doesn’t decrease your worth as a person. When you take a compassionate approach to your own weaknesses, you’ll be more likely to recognize there is room to grow and improve.