The Secret to Mental StrengthBy Leslie Jo Saul, NLP Life Coach

Attitude and perspective are

everything.Thomas Edison’s lab burned down in 1914 and years of his research and work were destroyed. A natural reaction may be complete and utter

despair. However, Edison changed his perspective and adopted the attitude that this

was an opportunity, not a set back, stating, “Thank goodness all our mistakes were burned

up. Now we can start again fresh.”

Mental Strength

The ability to decide how you react to a situation and finding energy and power from

things you can’t control is part of mental strength. Those who are mental strong are

resilient–they show grit, exhibit self-control, and possess emotional intelligence. They face life’s challenges head on with infectious optimism.

No matter how mentally strong you are, you can always increase your strength by honing the

following habits:

1. Try to view things

objectively.Instead of seeing a situation emotionally, being able to

take a step back and take on various points of view will

help you to objectively handle a situation.

2. Let go of entitlement.It is true that all people should be able to find

happiness in their lives, but no one ‘deserves’ anything. Challenges, setbacks, and

obstacles will make their way into the lives of each and

every person. Once you have acknowledged that and let go of entitled feelings, you will be able to move forward.

3. Keep on an even keel.

Do not let situations derail you. Keeping a cool head when things get hot will

leave you happier in the long run.

4. Realize no one can be

happy all the time.

Negative emotions are just as valid as happy ones and they should be allowed to surface

when the time calls for it. Letting both positive and

negative emotions have their moments will make you a

better person overall.

5. Be a realistic optimist.

A positive and ‘go-getter’ attitude is important, but it is

even more important to realize your own limits. Having multiple back-up

plans is essential, just in case you don’t get your first

choice.

6. Live in the here and now.

So much of the time we allow technology to take us away from the situation at hand, make us nostalgic for the

past, or keeps us occupied thinking about the future.

Being mindful and present is a huge help for mental

strength, reducing stress, and ridding your body of anxiety.

7. Chase your goals without reservation.

Mentally strong people show grit and determination no matter what the obstacles

are. At the same time, know when the time comes to let

things go and move on.

8. Appreciate what you

have.Mentally strong people love their lives and spend a lot of time being thankful for the gifts they’ve been given.