6 Things People with Strong Mental Health Avoid.

I assisted clients in identifying their pre-existing abilities, skills, and support networks for more than ten years while working as a psychotherapist. Then, by building on their current abilities, we would devise strategies for overcoming their challenges. I believed that this upbeat strategy was a successful technique to assist individuals in overcoming difficulties for a large portion of my work.

But after seeing disaster first-hand, I started to question this upbeat approach. My mother abruptly passed away in 2003. A devastating heart attack struck my 26-year-old husband two days before the third anniversary of her passing. My father-in-law passed away seven years later.

Throughout my mourning, I came to understand that concentrating only on my strengths—and downplaying my weaknesses—had severe drawbacks. I had to be very aware of the poor habits that were holding me back if I wanted to come out of that difficult time stronger than before.

Long-term problems would only arise if I allowed myself to act as a victim, whine about my circumstances, and distract myself from the pain. Because of my struggles, I've learned that even the smallest of negative behaviors can impede growth.

You don't need to work harder to fulfill your potential if you add healthy habits to your already hectic schedule. As an alternative, you can operate more efficiently by getting rid of the habits that sap productivity and mental energy.

Following are 6 behaviors that persons with strong mental faculties avoid:

1. Fear of disappointing everyone.

Trying to make other people happy depletes your mental energy and makes you lose focus on your goals, whether you're worried that your father-in-law will be critical of your latest attempt or you attend a gathering you'd rather skip to avoid receiving guilt from your mother.

While acting in accordance with your ideals demands courage, living an honest life necessitates making decisions that may disappoint or anger others. Write down your top five values and concentrate all of your efforts on upholding them even when others don't agree with you.

2. Avoid making changes.

You won't change if you are afraid that it will make the situation worse. Your ability to adapt will determine how successful you are in a changing environment. The more you get used to handling stress from a variety of sources—like starting a new job or ending a toxic relationship—the more assured you'll feel about your capacity to adjust and bring about positive change in yourself.

3. Avoid taking chances.

Even a modest risk may not be taken if it looks frightening. On the other hand, if you're enthusiastic about a new possibility, you might ignore a huge danger and move forward. Emotions impair your judgment and make it difficult for you to appropriately assess risk.

The ability to take the correct risks is essential for a successful conclusion, yet becoming remarkable requires taking risks. Recognize how you're feeling about a certain risk and how your feelings affect your thinking. To assist you in making a choice that balances emotion and reason, prepare a list of the advantages and disadvantages of taking the risk.

4. Give up their authority.

It is not feasible to feel like a victim while maintaining mental toughness. If you allow others to control you by thinking things like "My sister-in-law drives me crazy" or "My boss makes me feel horrible about myself," you are giving people power. Nobody has the authority to influence your thoughts, feelings, or actions.

One method to acknowledge that the decisions you make are your own is to modify your terminology on a regular basis. Change the phrase "I have to work late today" to "I'm choosing to stay late." Even though there can be repercussions if you choose not to work late, you still have an option. To design the life you want, you must first empower yourself.

5. Invest their energy in things they are powerless to affect.

The only things that will make situations better are complaining, worrying, and wishful thinking. You'll be far more equipped to deal with whatever challenges life presents you with if you focus that same energy on the things you can control.

Pay attention to the moments when you're tempted to worry about things you can't control, like the decisions other people make or how your rival acts, and instead channel that energy into something more beneficial, like finishing a project at work or home or lending a hand to a friend who is working on one. Accept the things you cannot change and concentrate on influencing others rather than trying to control them.

6. Spend unnecessary time becoming sorry for oneself.

It is pointless to dwell on your issues, exaggerate your bad luck, and keep track of the number of hardships you have gone through. Throwing a pity party only makes things worse, regardless of whether you're having financial difficulties or a significant health issue. You can't come up with a solution while you are too caught up in your own misery.

However, choosing to feel sorry for yourself is a choice. Strife and sorrow are unavoidable. You can still decide to manage your attitude even though you are powerless to fix the issue. To avoid self-pity, consider three things each day for which to be thankful.