Misconceptions About What it Means to be Mentally Strong

Being mentally strong is often misconstrued to mean a whole lot of things that are oftentimes false. Being mentally strong doesn’t translate to being a robot or an emotionless person; it has absolutely nothing to do with any of these. In this post, we are going to be debunking a few myths about mental strength. 

Misconceptions about what it means to be mentally strong

Being mentally strong means being emotionless

Every healthy human being has and should have emotions, and this is nothing to be ashamed of; having emotions and feelings is a very normal human reaction. It is false to think that mental strength is about suppressing your emotions. In fact, a mentally strong person is someone who is very aware of his or her emotions so much so that he or she can easily regulate and manage them.

Mentally strong people never experience fear or anxiety

That’s false!  Everyone experiences fear and anxiety, it is absolutely normal to feel this way once in a while. However, a person is mentally strong when he or she does not allow fear and anxiety to become a regular response to every challenge or negative situation, instead, they have learned to handle them in healthy ways.

Mental strength is innate and cannot be developed

False, mental strength is a muscle that can be developed and strengthened through practice and effort. If you have the desire to become mentally strong you can achieve this with practice.

Mentally strong people are immune to stress

False! Stress is a very normal human factor that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and mentally strong people know this. Everyone experiences stress, but mentally strong people have developed strategies to manage it in healthy ways.

Mental strength is about being perfect and never making mistakes

Whoever said a mentally strong person doesn’t make mistakes? On the contrary, mentally strong people actually make a lot of mistakes, however, they do not allow these mistakes to stop them from trying again and again. Mental strength is about resilience and the ability to learn and grow from failures and setbacks.

Mentally strong people are robots

Being mentally strong doesn’t mean you have to act tough and unfeeling all the time; it doesn’t mean being rigid and difficult to deal with. It is more or less about being able to stick to your principles and values in any given circumstance.

Mentally strong people are self-reliant

A mentally strong person is not someone who never needs help and assistance from anything and anyone, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with needing help and assistance and asking for it. A mentally strong person is someone who is wise enough to know when to ask for help.

Mentally strong people are physically strong

Some people feel that being mentally strong means pushing your body to its physical limits or ignoring the pain. It’s more about understanding your body, thoughts, and emotions well enough to know how to respond to them at each given time. 

Mentally strong people think only positive thoughts 

It’s false to think that mentally strong people think only positive thoughts, that’s so not true. That kind of approach to life can be very dangerous and detrimental to your growth and happiness.

As a matter of fact, it’s just as bad as thinking overly negative thoughts. A mentally strong person thinks realistically and rationally in every and any given circumstance. 

More Misconceptions About Mental Strength 

• Mental strength is not about being perfect or never experiencing difficulties. It’s about having the ability to bounce back from challenges and adversity.

• Mental strength does not mean ignoring the needs of others. Being mentally strong involves balancing one’s own needs with the needs of others in a healthy way.

• Mental strength does not mean avoiding problems. It means facing and addressing them with courage and resilience.

• Mental strength is not about being tough and unyielding. It involves being flexible and adapting to change in a healthy way.

• Mental strength means never experiencing negative emotions: Mental strength means being able to acknowledge and cope with negative emotions in a healthy way, not avoiding them.

• Mental strength is permanent: Mental strength is not a fixed trait and can fluctuate with life circumstances and personal growth.

• Mental strength means never asking for help: Asking for help is a sign of courage and self-awareness, and can actually increase mental strength.

• Mental strength means ignoring problems: Confronting and addressing problems head-on, rather than ignoring them, is a hallmark of mental strength.

Finally 

At the end of the day what makes you a mentally strong person is your ability to adapt realistically and rationally to situations, it’s your self-awareness. Knowing yourself and understanding your emotions well enough to be able to control them is what matters most.