You Can Usually Tell How Mentally Strong Someone Is By 11 Things They Do When They’re Stressed

You Can Usually Tell How Mentally Strong Someone Is By 11 Things They Do When They’re Stressed

• Alex Mathers

From your morning routine to your exercise level and the food you eat, making minor changes to your daily life can have a huge positive impact on your mental health.From resisting panic to focusing on what they can actually change (rather than what would just leave them spinning their wheels), these habits reveal a level of mental strength in people who are stressed and tired that’s pretty hard to fake

Mentally strong people often do these things when they’re stressed out:

1. They write out their challenges and opportunities

Mentally strong people journal their solutions to get those thoughts out of their heads and onto paper. Creating this distance will nurture your emotional control and prevent you from acting out of a place of anger, anxiety, or sadness

2. Mentally strong people walk almost every day for at least half an hour

Matt Flores / Unsplash

The positive impacts of moving your body when you feel stressed out are literally endless. “Walking can help with weight control and reduce the risk of heart disease, Diabetes, and more,”explained Dr. Kelley Pettee Gabriel, associate dean for research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s School of Public Health. “Although it’s a nice, round number, the idea that people need to take 10,000 steps a day came from a Japanese company’s marketing tactics in the 1960s, and more recent research has shown that the optimal number of steps varies depending on factors such as age and your goal.”

3. People like this let go of worry

Turning away from worry to focus on the real world is a practice that will change your life. Don’t waste time worrying about things you cannot change. “When we manage our perception of a threat, we can live relatively anxiety-free,” said therapist Reta Faye Walker. “Unless you are being chased by a predator or a weapon is pointed in your direction, people with mental strength choose to face down fear and manage their anxiety.”

4. They lift weights regularly

The physical and cognitive benefits of strength training on mental health are established and substantial. Do not physically weaken yourself

5. Mentally strong people forgive themselves

Many of us hold a grudge against who we were. Find a way to understand that what you did was for a good reason at the time. You’re human. Forgive yourself. University of Wisconsin-Madison psychologist Dr. Robert Enright offers great insight on what self-forgiveness gives you in terms of mental strength: “When you self-forgive, you offer, perhaps for the first time in years, a true love for yourself, even though you let yourself down by your actions.” 

6. They’re aware of what drains their energy

Enforce firm boundaries to ensure your energy levels aren’t stolen by other people, bad news, bad food, and cheap a selfish act, it’s the first step in most self-care activities. According to psychologist Dr. Leda Kaveh, “Saying no is refusing to sacrifice something you love for someone else. It means that you’re in control of your own time and emotions.”

7. They avoid insulin-spiking food

Staying away from foods that increase insulin, like bread, refined sugar, and pastries, ensures your mood remains stable and you’re less likely to get into bad thinking habits due to physical imbalance

8. Mentally strong people are just themselves

Natalia Blauth / Unsplash+

Don’t allow the need for approval from others to make you weird and uptight. Get into the habit of showing us who you are, warts and all

9. They spend five minutes listing out things they’re grateful for

Develop a gratitude practice and show appreciation for the meaningful things in your life. Mentally strong people remind themselves of what they have, and acknowledging all these gifts that life has given you makes you more receptive to receiving more positive things. 

10. Mentally strong people never sit for too long

This is unless you’re sleeping (in which case, you need your eight hours or so for optimal mental health). Take regular stretching and movement breaks. “The more you sit, the more your large muscles use glucose, the body’s main energy, triggering the release of insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar,” explains cardiologist Dr. Hicham Skali, of Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital

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11. They develop a close relationship with their breath

We can hold our breath when fearful, which reinforces mental unwellness. When they’re stressed or burned out, mentally strong people focus on breathing properly through their nose and take three slow, long breaths when they get emotional to calm themselves down

Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient. 

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This article was originally published at Medium. Reprinted with permission from the author