20 Clear Signs Of Mental Toughness

One aspect of life which will always remain a constant is that it'll always challenge you. That is only part of the journey, friends, and if you are not tough life will eat you up.

I am not talking about being physically tough, as any ogre can pull that off. I'm talking about mental toughness.

The traits of your personality which afford for thicker skin and shorter memories that are all one needs to get through this life a fulfilled, well-rounded, and happy person.

Here are some traits of mental toughness that we should all aspire to:

1. Pick your Battles

Some things in life you have just got to let go. If each little stimulus gets your hackles up, then guess what: you spend your life-fighting. Even if you are a third-world warlord, unending conflict is not something that makes for a productive life.

2. Don't be Afraid to Ask for Help

Even the mightiest people you have encountered in life all need help at some point. Even Superman needed Lois Lane, and Batman needed Robin. Let go of your pride, and learn to ask for help when you need it.

3. Judge Not, lest you be Judged

Rather than focusing your magnifying glass on everybody in your life, why not turn it into a mirror instead? If you want everybody around you to let you be yourself, let them be themselves too.

4. Expect Less

You are going to get out of life what you put into it, and even then sometimes you get less. Do not expect life to give you a break because it will not. Instead, learn to make the best of what you get.

5. Forgive

Holding on to grudges is similar to holding on to poison. Let it go. Forgiveness is the antidote to hate.

6. Accept Criticism

The second you think you're above criticism is the second you quit growing as a person. Growth comes from stripping away your preconceptions of yourself just like pruning a tree helps it grow.

7. Give Freely of Yourself

Life is about give and take, and giving is so much more fulfilling than taking. Would you prefer to be the source of the water or the sponge which sucks it up?

8. Be Humble

As important as you think you are, the number one way to ground yourself, in reality, is crushing your ego. There's a distinct difference between being proud of an accomplishment, and believing that you're god's gift to humanity.

9. Quit Worrying About What is 'Fair'

'Fair' is a purely conditional situation which rarely exists in life. The sooner that you realize nothing about life is 'fair' the sooner, you will readily accept whatever life throws at you.

10. Embrace Change

Change in growth, and vice versa. Living in a bubble is a sign that you cannot cope with life, because one true thing about life is that it'll always change.

11. Be Financially Responsible

This statement in no way means 'be materialistic.' What it does mean is that in modern society, we all have specific financial responsibilities. Yeah, I would love to waste all of my money on fun gadgets and lego sets, but I have bills to pay.

12. Be patient

The old cliche that 'patience is a virtue' exists because it's true. Anything worth having is also worth working hard for and waiting for. Even diamonds take time.

13. Build Upon Yourself

Self-improvement is not just a section of the bookstore you might or might not venture into. Nobody comes into this world perfect, and so we must build on what we have to become who we want to be in life, instead of merely expecting it to happen.

14. Take Care of Yourself

Your health, both mental and physical is a perpetual struggle. If you're sick all of the time, how can you be expected to face whatever life throws at you?

15. Manage Your Time

We should consider time as a currency because it's all we have on the planet. Dedicating our time to the right pursuits is essential to maintaining a life we want to live.

16. Not Everything is a Crisis

This falls again somewhere between time management and picking our battles. If we consistently make mountains out of molehills, we'll lose the ability to focus on what matters in life.

17. Co-dependence is Weakness

Nobody in this life will get you through but you. The more you depend on 'crutches' in life, the less able you will be to make it through alone. No matter how much you think somebody else will be there to get you through, often the hardest struggles in life are those you have to take on by yourself.

18. Take Responsibility for your Life

Slinging blame around is not effective. This is your time on the planet, so taking ownership of your actions is the one and only way to live YOUR life.

19. Perfection Does Not Exist

Trying to achieve perfection is almost as meaningful as trying to catch water with a sieve. Your idea of 'perfect' and mine, and everyone else's for that matter, are entirely different. Be glad with who you are, rather than worrying about what is acceptable to anyone else.

20. Know Yourself, Trust Yourself

Knowing yourself is what leads you to trust yourself. However, you cannot trust yourself without knowing yourself. It is a cycle.

Reference: I Heart Intelligence