Why is mental strength necessary

Mental strength helps us to resist being derailed by negative thoughts. It is more important than physical strength as it gives us the real strength to overcome stressful situations. According to reports of 2019, over one in every hundred deaths worldwide, that is 1.3%, are due to suicides. This is clearly a sign of low mental strength.

Ways to increase mental strength

Humans largely tend to be adversely affected with negative thoughts, without realizing it is ineffective in helping us in any situation. To improve one needs primarily to master one’s own emotions. This emotional awareness helps us avoid making irrational choices driven by negative emotions. Secondly, we need to prioritise our own happiness. Psychologically, the fear of disappointing others may cause us to bottle up our feelings and prevent the growth of our mental strength. Thirdly, we lose mental strength when we make mistakes. We need to realise that perfection is a myth and we should accept our own mistakes as a natural process. This will also remove the fear of failure from our minds. Developing your mental strength requires time, patience and experiences. Rather than crying over spilt milk, if we learn from our failures, we shall be benefited immensely. Let us remember Vincent Van Gogh’s inspiring words, “If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint’, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.”

 

How easy or difficult is it to garner mental strength

The process of changing one’s mentality takes time, effort and experience. Success isn’t always guaranteed no matter how much you try or work hard. It is worth starting by expressing gratitude for whatever we have already. In trying to achieve more, we forget about the skills and people we have in our lives currently. As we try to get rid of our bad habits and build good ones without indulging in any kind of comparison, we ourselves become our biggest competitor. We keep our minds fixed in the present time, without fearing the outcome.The process is difficult, but not impossible to attain.

Oprah Winfrey had said, “Where there is no struggle, there is no strength.” Our ability to handle our humiliation is one the clear signs of mental strength. It is all about the will to get back, no matter how hard life gets.

It is okay to be strong and still be scared. People can cry and still be strong. To be strong is not just about having a hard exterior. Strength is being able to overcome the problems life will throws at humanity, and society needs true personal, mental, and spiritual strength to overcome it.

About the authors

The article has been contributed by the following students from St Joseph’s High School, Matigara, Darjeeling: Jennifer Mangratee, Girisha Mitruka and Taniska Biswas.