A little trivia: Great inventor Thomas Alva Edison made ten thousand incandescent light bulbs before making the perfect one, and we remember him as the greatest inventor. Okay, this story is meant to give you a little hope. Despite struggles, heartbreaks, and disappointments, we need to keep going. And the thing that keeps us motivated and keeps going is mental fortitude.
The above-mentioned inspiring story makes me introspect: Do I have the resilience that I need to overcome the challenges? Or do I let my failures shatter my dreams? And what could I achieve if I had the strength not to give up so easily? The answer lies in resilience.
In this blog, I will talk about the art of resilience and its importance. Read this write-up thoroughly if you want to work on your mental fortitude. Let’s dive in:
What is resilience?
Resiliency or resilience is our capability to adapt and react when things don’t go as our expectations. Resilient people don’t dwell or wallow on failures; they acknowledge the problem, learn from their mistakes, and then move on.
What is mental fortitude?
Mental fortitude is an important ingredient to succeed. Mental fortitude is defined as the capability to focus on and execute solutions when in the face of adversity or uncertainty. If you break under pressure and lose patience in a challenging situation, it can easily make you quit prematurely without completing the task.
The elements of resilience and mental fortitude:
- Challenge: Resilient people view an adverse situation as a challenge, not as a numbing event. They look at their mistakes or failures as lessons to be learned from and as a chance for growth. They don’t view problems as a negative reflection on their self-worth or abilities.
- Commitment: Resilient people are committed to their goals and their lives, and they have a strict routine to get out of bed and motivate themselves. Commitment isn’t just about their work; they commit to their friendships, their relationships, the causes they take part in, and their spiritual or religious beliefs.
- Personal Control: Resilient people spend their energy and time focusing on events and situations that they can control. Because they put their energy where they can make the most impact, they feel confident and empowered.
How to build resilience:
- Learn to relax: When you take proper care of your body and mind, you’ll be able to cope effectively with problems in your life. I suggest you get a good night’s sleep, try out yoga or use physical relaxation techniques, like meditation or deep breathing.
- Practicing awareness: Resilient people don’t allow negative thoughts to overpower their efforts. Instead, they constantly practice positive thoughts. This means listening to how you speak to yourself when something happens against you; if you find yourself making pervasive or hurtful statements to others, correct these thoughts in your mind and leave a better impression.
- Learning from your failures and mistakes. Every failure teaches you something very important, so you must search for the lesson in every adverse situation. Also, read psychological books and make sure that you understand the idea of post-traumatic growth. You need to find that crisis situation, such as a relationship breakdown or a job loss, and allow yourself to re-evaluate your life and make positive changes accordingly.
- Building your self-confidence. Always remember, a resilient person is confident that he/she is going to succeed in the long run, despite the stresses or setbacks that they are facing. This self-belief in themselves also empowers them to take risks: when you develop a strong sense of self and confidence, you will have the courage to keep moving forward despite adverse situations and take the risks you need to take to go ahead.
- Developing sustainable relationships. People who have strong connections in their personal life and work become more resistant to stress and anxiety, and they’re happier than others in their life. The same thing is applicable for your personal life: the more genuine friendships you develop, the more resilient and happy you’re going to be because you have a strong support network to rely on. Keep in mind that treating people with empathy and compassion is a very important thing.
Conclusion:
In our busy lifestyle, we often forget to take care of our mental health, and we get burnt out or feel frustrated with our life. Practicing mental fortitude and resilience is the key to happiness and success. Take care of your mental health and live a prosperous life.
