There’s nothing wrong with being physically strong, but it takes discipline and consistency to achieve this state.
More importantly, you also need to have mental strength because, without it, it would be hard to reach your goal as you will be distracted by things that really don’t matter.
In short, you need to be mentally strong, too, and it’s not only part of your preparation to become physically healthy, but also in dealing with everyday struggles that can otherwise take the best of you.
However, like your journey to become fit, you have to avoid some habits, as per psychotherapist Amy Morin:
Self-Blame
There’s a huge difference between beating yourself up and taking full responsibility for your faults. The first one is toxic and may lead to doubts and low self-esteem but the latter shows that you are aware of what you’ve done wrong and you are willing to learn from this stumble.
Mentally strong people don’t blame themselves to the point that it takes over their lives. They know that being harsh to themselves will not do them good and that crying over spilled milk will not bring back time – so, they practice self-compassion to become better.
Other People’s Opinions
It’s hard to ignore what people have to say about you, which is typical for human beings. This involves being bothered with how people perceive you and what they think of what you do, wear, choose, and almost every decision you make.
You may feel that you are just being cautious but this could lead to missed opportunities and fewer risks taken – all because you fear others may say something bad about your choices. This could greatly hold you back, but if you are a mentally strong individual, you know that you don’t have an obligation to make other people happy.
Instead, you are confident that your decisions are in line with your beliefs and values, therefore, you don’t have to give importance to misconceptions.
Wishful Thinking
Most people are guilty of this habit, but it’s not exactly wise to do this. Whether it was when your colleague treated you poorly or how your parents raised you, there’s no use to wishing you can change things from the past because, simply put, you cannot.
This isn’t just a waste of time, it also re-earths pain and anger that can hold you back from embarking on new challenges and taking on better opportunities. Mentally strong people know better: they think of ways to deal with their current problems.