Gram’s Wisdom 15: Tough both inside and out
My Gram was one of the toughest people I have ever known. Both mentally and physically she radiated strength. I knew I could ask her anything and get a straight answer or I could lean on her when I was weary. All my young life she was teaching me something daily. I got, “this is how you do it lessons” for what I believe she thought were the practicalities of life.
But the older I get the more I appreciate those lessons I learned through my observation. Many of them left a strong impression on my behavior then and continue to shape how I live my life today. Although I consider myself to be strong, I don’t believe I can hold a candle to the strong woman my Gram was.
What I have learned about mental strength
So many people aren’t as emotionally strong as they wish they were. Our lack of belief in our strength is a huge limiting factor in our lives. If we were a little tougher mentally, we’d be willing to try more, and consequently, we’d accomplish more.
Every obstacle we meet is less likely to be thought insurmountable if we believe we possess a high degree of inner strength.
It’s not necessary to be born mentally tough. You can develop this quality in yourself.
Increase your inner strength and overcome obstacles using these skills
1| Up-level yourself physically.
Inner strength is easier to get if you’re strong in other ways, too
2| Don’t forget body and mind together.
Suffering through a challenging workout is a great way to build your mind and body at the same time. With a strong mind, body, connection, you become unstoppable.
3| Develop your ability to focus.
Inner strength is the ability to focus on what needs to be done regardless of the circumstances. You can’t just decide to focus and suddenly be good at it. You’ve spent a lifetime distracting yourself. It takes time to learn the habit of focusing well for extended periods of time.
4| Be attentive to what you’re doing.
When your attention drifts away, bring it back. Continue to do that until you’re good at focusing.
5| Meditation is another powerful way to learn how to focus.
A daily meditation practice is worth considering if you’re serious about increasing your inner strength.
6| Do something uncomfortable.
You can take a cold shower. Do yard work. Walk up to strangers and begin a conversation. Sing in front of your friends. Dye your hair pink and go grocery shopping. Learning to deal with discomfort is an important part of inner strength.
7| Do tough or difficult things.
Climb a mountain. Run a marathon. Write an entire book. Go an entire day without speaking. Wake up an hour earlier for the next month. Learn a new language. Memorize The Charge of The Light Brigade or your favorite poem.
“It’s worth remembering that the time of greatest gains in terms of wisdom and inner strength is often that of greatest difficulty.”
8| Decide quickly.
Make rapid decisions. It’s weak to postpone making decisions just because you don’t want to take responsibility for your life. Be responsible but make up your mind and own your decisions. Take responsibility for your life.
9| Act on a regular basis.
It’s not enough to decide. You must do something, too. Avoid falling into the procrastination trap of spending too much time researching and planning. Those with inner strength act decisively.
10| What are your past accomplishments?
Remind yourself that you’ve accomplished some impressive things. You’ve overcome obstacles. Also remember that you’re tougher than you thought. Relive those past successes and the obstacles you overcame.
11| Describe your attitude.
Tough, positive, action-oriented, persistent, diligent, committed, aggressive, disciplined. Are these words you would use to describe yourself? How about attaching “I am” at the beginning of each word and turning them into your daily affirmations. What other qualities do you think someone with inner strength possesses?
12| Surround yourself with like-minded people.
You’re stronger when you surround yourself with strong, supportive people. Negative people will sap your inner strength. Weak people will do the same thing. Surround yourself with the right people, and you’ll be better for it.
My final thought
How tough are you? Are you the toughest person you know? If not, you have some work to do. A lack of inner strength is very limiting. Imagine how much more you would do if you could double your inner strength!
You can become mentally stronger if you’re willing to take the appropriate steps. Your stronger self is waiting for you, so do it now!
I sincerely hope you like this post and will share it with the people you love.