Mental strength is one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted concepts.

We expect a person with great mental strength to remain strong and unaffected at all times which isn’t fair.

It’s essential for some us to unlearn our preconceived notions of mental strength and that’s what this article is for. Keep reading to find out what mental strength is really about.

6 Myths About Mental Strength:

1. If you are mentally strong you will always be positive.

Just because you are mentally strong does not mean you will be positive all the time. It’s biologically not possible for a person to remain positive all the time. It’s not natural. Mentally strong people might have a more hopeful outlook and they might try to make the best of things, but don’t blame them for being down at times. We are all human beings.

2. Mentally strong people do not give up.

Being mentally strong doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to give up. There is no point in continuing to fight a losing battle. The strongest people will know when it’s time to give up the fight. Real mental strength is knowing when to give up and when to keep pushing.

3. You don’t have limits if you are mentally strong.

There is nothing wrong with having limits. In fact, knowing your limits is crucial to be mentally strong. While it’s great to want to do better and raise your standards, some things are just not possible. Other limits might keep you sane and safe. Breaking all your limits might actually be a waste of time because you can’t break all your limits at once. As you break some, new ones will be created, so you will keep going in circles. It’s not about having no limits, is about creating the right limits for yourself that help you be the best version of you. Those with mental strength know what limits to push, and what to keep.

4. Mental strength means you will always succeed.

You don’t have to succeed all the time. Sometimes life just pulls you down and that is okay, as long as you know you’ve done the right thing. You have to fall before you learn to fly. It’s normal to fail because that’s how you learn. Mental strength is knowing you will fail sometimes, but you also know how to learn from failures so you can succeed other times.

5. People who are mentally strong will accept any challenge.

Mentally strong people are not afraid to say no. They are confident in their opinions and know they do not always have to give in to others. They will not change themselves for fear of other people’s opinions. They respect their time and energy and create firm boundaries. This means they often say no to things they are not interested in.

6. Change is something that does not upset a mentally strong person.

You can embrace change without liking it. While a mentally strong person will outwardly look like they’re handling change well, they might be feeling very upset inside. Just because they are mentally strong doesn’t mean they are emotionless. Even the strongest people feel. In fact, real strength is found in midst of emotional vulnerability. Mentally strong people feel intensely, maybe even more intensely than a normal person, but their strength comes from dealing with these emotions without letting the emotions to control them.