6 Common Myths About Mentally Strong People

There are many ideas and myths about mentally strong people. Sometimes we spend a lot of time thinking about how we can become like that too. At other times we make the mistake of believing some myths, which makes us doubt the positive aspects of being mentally strong.

This time I want to talk about the most common beliefs about mentally strong people. You will see that  they are just like you and me. The only difference is their way of accepting and facing the challenges of life.

Myth 1: They were born so strong

You can believe that mentally strong people are born that way. You may think that they have a different mentality that they have been instilled from birth. The reality is very different. We are all born with the same cognitive, emotional and behavioral skills.

The differences arise from the way we were raised, the experiences we’ve had and the vision we develop. So it’s not uncommon to see two brothers who grew up the same, yet are very different.

One could very well be on the list of mentally strong people, while the other is insecure. The difference lies in the outlook everyone has shaped and the emotional work they have done for themselves.

Myth 2: They are distant and not emotional

This is not true at all. Mentally strong people are just like everyone else. In fact, many of them are the sweetest and nicest people imaginable. The difference is that they know how to express their emotions.

They simply don’t give love and attention to people who don’t deserve it. They are also willing to end unhealthy relationships if they occur in their lives. There’s no doubt this decision will hurt, but they know they need to stay safe. You may think they are aloof because they know how to control their emotions, but this is not a sign of aloofness.

Myth 3: They are aggressive and unkind

Mentally strong people do not base their existence on pleasing others. They also don’t want to control you or tell you how to live. But that doesn’t mean they are unkind.

The idea that they are aggressive comes from the fact that mentally strong people have no problem expressing their opinion. If they don’t like a certain attitude on your part and if they think you’re trying to control them, they’ll set their limits.

Often they will do so in a friendly manner. The only reason they can become aggressive is when you don’t accept their boundaries. Other than that, they are just as friendly and approachable as anyone else.

Myth 4: They’ve never been through hard times

This is another false myth about mentally strong people. It often happens that when you meet these people, you think they have had an easy life. The reality is very different.

They have all experienced moments of failure, doubt, fear and sadness. Don’t think you’re the only one who had a difficult childhood. The only difference is that mentally strong people are the ones who don’t allow these experiences to hold them back or define them.

They know that  every experience teaches them valuable lessons, if only they use it. So they focus on having and achieving their goals.

Myth 5: Mentally Strong People Don’t Have Emotional Problems

Just because someone is emotionally strong doesn’t mean they’re perfect. If you suffer from an emotional problem such as depression and think that you are not mentally strong because of it, you are wrong. All you really need is the decision to tackle these issues. From this point on, you can start getting stronger.

Mental strength is based on skills we all learn. Some skills take longer to learn, but there are limits.

Myth 6: Pain doesn’t exist for them

Being a mentally strong person doesn’t mean you don’t feel pain. You feel pain, both physically and mentally, just like anyone else. The difference is that you are aware that this is necessary to move forward.

Don’t think you can run a marathon without pain right away if you’re mentally strong. You can only do this if you train enough. What does happen is  that you force yourself to keep going because you have enough motivation to do so.

Now that we’ve debunked these myths about mentally strong people, you may know that you don’t have to be a superhuman to be mentally strong. And maybe you fall into this category yourself. Is that right?