This is how to be mentally strong in times of crisis

2020 has shaken most of us to our core in different levels and aspects. I am now super confident that the impact of this year also made us realize that we all need to develop the right skills in order to cope with the health and economic challenges that have become part of our new normal.

With the hope that we will all prevail in our new circumstances no matter what they are, we find ourselves compelled to manage our thoughts, emotions, and behavior in ways that will set us up for success.

Do you agree that no matter what your goals are, building mental strength is the key to reaching your greatest potential?

“The strength of your mind determines the quality of your life.” “The ability to continue moving when you are feeling scared, fearful or lazy is the sign of true mental strength.”

Here are below the three types of limiting and unhealthy beliefs that can hold you back from reaching your greatest potential:

• Having unhealthy belief about yourself: feeling sad when something bad happens is part of your emotional life, however feeling sorry for yourself is harmful. Self-pity involves magnifying your misfortune and adopting thoughts like: Why does it always happen to me? or why I should have to deal with that? Why I can’t have that? This way of thinking keeps you focused on your problem and prevents you from finding a solution or take steps to make your life better.
• Having unhealthy beliefs about others: You think that other people can control you and sometimes you tend to give away your power but always remember that you have a choice. For example when you state that your boss drives you crazy, you actually are giving away your power by letting your boss behavior controls yours, remember you always have a choice to respond and to decide how that might impact you.
• Having unhealthy belief about the world: do you tend to think that the world or life owes you something? Do you believe that you deserve success when you put enough hard work into something? Well expecting success to fall into your lap in the form of a cosmic reward will only lead to disappointment. Achieving success involves more than hard work, it requires self-work, having purpose and mind control. Working hard and focusing on the wrong things will take you far away from your vision and goals, so be sure to know what you want or else you will be distracted.

It is hard to give up our mental habits and to get rid of these 3 unhealthy beliefs especially if you have been carrying them for so long. However, you can’t afford not to!  Because you will be pushing your happiness away and there will be a time /phase in your life where you need all the mental strength available for you to get you through difficult experiences.

The secret to be mentally strong is to give up your bad habits. Mental strength is a lot like physical strength. If you want to be physically strong, you need to go to the gym and lift weights but if you really want to see results, you also need to give up eating junk food. If you want to become mentally strong you need good habits like practicing gratitude, embracing others success etc.. or your progress will be limited.

So How do you train your brain to be strong ?

• Be comfortable with all your feelings, do not escape your dis-empowering emotions, go through them, allow yourself to be human and increase your confidence in your ability to deal with the discomfort – however, avoid hosting a self-pity party.
• Stop comparing yourself to others and do not think people are either above you or below you, do not give your power away and do not blame others for holding you back. Take responsibility and assume your choices – the only person you should compare yourself to, is the person you were yesterday.
• Accept that the world is not fair, which can be very liberating. The world is what you make it. Moreover, before you want to change the world believe first that you can and start with small steps.
• Embrace change, build your resilience and be flexible and welcoming to what life offers you. Remember the saying: when life gives you lemons, make lemonade J
• Live for your present and plan wisely for your future – stop dwelling on your past instead learn from it and move on
• Focus only on the things you can control. Overthinking and complaining about things that are outside your circle of influence will leave you powerless.

Take time today to think about the unhealthy beliefs that are keeping you from being mentally strong and what is one small step that you can take today to change that?

Happy reading!