How to Be Mentally Strong Instructions 1. Practice meditating.

You simply have to turn your thoughts inward and relax in order to meditate. Breathe deeply and accept all things as they are in that moment. Do this several times a day to re-center yourself. 2. Get plenty of exercise. Push yourself hard when you exercise to prove to yourself that you're stronger than you think you are. There is a correlation between mental strength and strenuous physical activity. 3. Focus yourself on the task at hand. Instead of daydreaming about what you're going to do on the following weekend, be completely involved with whatever you are doing in the moment. Powerful concentration equals a mental strength. 4. Change your attitude in a positive direction. If you hear negative thoughts in your head, shut them off and put a positive spin on them. People with a positive attitude are more likely to respond with strength and confidence in any given situation. Share your worries and concerns with someone. You can also journal your thoughts and feelings if you prefer. Sharing your negative feelings takes away much of their power. 5. Accept things as they are. Knowing that you can't change anything other than your attitude and actions gives you power. You get to choose how you react to any given situation. http://www.ehow.com/how_2216453_be-mentally-strong.html How to Become Emotionally Strong Instructions 1. Set a goal to become emotionally strong. Just making the decision is a step. Don't just wish for it. Move away from the contemplation stage and decide you will succeed. 2. Change your thoughts. This won't seem natural at first, but it will get easier. Coach yourself to start talking to yourself differently during a tough time. Say "I can handle this problem;" instead of "I know I can't cope with this. 3. "Practice moving outside your comfort zone, which will be uncomfortable at first. Given a choice between growth and comfort, most people choose comfort. 4. Take small steps, and don't try to do it all at once. If you're not physically demonstrative, you are most likely not going to start hugging all your friends. Try just touching them on the shoulder. It may not seem like much to others, but for you, it may be a big step. 5. Expect people close to you to resist your change and maybe complain about it. And if nobody is complaining, you're probably not experiencing a significant amount of growth. 6. Recognize the change to gain emotional strength won't happen instantly. It's a process, not an event.

Tips & Warnings

If you are experiencing severe anxiety, you should get professional help.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2238817_become-emotionally-strong.html Mental Toughness Techniques By Dee Willis, eHow Contributor Some people seem to take everything in stride, never letting anything get the best of them. Mental toughness prevents them from getting sidetracked or taking a step backward due to difficult circumstances. Others have a more difficult time overcoming obstacles. Men's Fitness defines mental toughness as determination to persevere and maintain focus despite difficulty. Practicing mental toughness strategies can help people stay focused when challenges arise. Being mentally tough can also help people reach their goals and maximize their personal, occupational and social potential. Positive Thinking

If you believe that you will fail or think self-defeating thoughts, you are less likely to be successful. Thinking positive thoughts improves mood and increases motivation, making you more likely to reach your goals. If you want to overcome an obstacle, whether it is completing a difficult project at work or winning a football game, telling yourself that you can do it increases your chances of success because thinking becomes solution-focused rather than problem-focused. When a situation is so challenging it is difficult to think positively, remind yourself of times you overcame obstacles in the past. Turn worry into a positive by transforming anxious thoughts into positive or solution-focused thoughts.

Visualization

Picture yourself succeeding. Whatever the challenge is, visualize yourself overcoming that challenge. The more you practice visualization, the more real and more possible the image becomes. Explore weaknesses. Visualize these weaknesses disappearing and strengths taking their place. For example, if fear of failure is a weakness, visualize yourself feeling confident and strong. Picture yourself succeeding at whatever is challenging you. If this is difficult, visualize someone you admire who has these strengths and try to imagine yourself as this person.

Positive Friendships

Surround yourself with friends who bring you up rather than bring you down. Some people may believe they are helping you by pointing out flaws. However, this typically has the opposite effect. Engage in friendships that benefit you personally. Surround yourself with other people who are focused on success. Conversations and activities that take place among successful people breed continued success.

Trying Something New

Exposing yourself to new situations expands the range of thoughts and emotions and helps the brain to prepare for the unexpected. Try a new outdoor activity such as hiking, mountain biking or rock climbing. Take a class at a local college. Start a program for at-risk youth in your community. In addition to giving you new knowledge and experience, these activities also provide opportunities to be successful at a variety of new skills, which increases your self-confidence and mental toughness.

http://www.ehow.com/info_8026360_mental-toughness-techniques.html How to Be a Stronger Person By Amie Taylor, eHow Contributor If you've ever known a person who seems to have more than his fair share of problems, but faces them head-on with a smile and determination, you might have wondered where he found the strength to carry on. While it's true that some people have more inner strength than others, there's nothing to stop you from achieving increased peace of mind and new resolve. With the right mental attitude and some practice, you can become a stronger person. Instructions 1. Accept yourself as you are. A lot of stress and insecurity comes from trying to be something you're not. People respect people who are themselves and are not afraid to voice their own opinions. 2. Take care of yourself physically. Lack of sleep, improper nutrition and lack of exercise can place your body under stress. It's hard to maintain your inner strength when you are physically depleted. 3. Practice thinking positive thoughts. The next time you find yourself entertaining thoughts of doom and gloom, stop immediately. Fill your mind with images of a positive outcome, and dare to expect the best. 4. Make a list of your positive qualities. It's hard to be strong and confident when you don't believe in yourself. Reflect on compliments you've received in the past and focus on what you like about yourself. Read your list over twice a day to remind yourself what you have going for you.

5. Speak positive affirmations about yourself. When you drive to work, take a shower, walk in the woods or spend time alone, speak positive words about yourself aloud. You might not believe them at first, but as you repeat them often, the statements will take root in your mind and help you become a stronger person. 6. Act as if you are already a strong person. Imagine what a strong person would do in whatever situation you find yourself in and behave accordingly. Oftentimes modeling the very qualities you wish you had will help you gain them. 7. Attend to your spiritual life. Join a church, visit a synagogue or return to temple services, and explore the religion of your choice. Many people find great strength in focusing on their religious beliefs. http://www.ehow.com/how_8541597_stronger-person.html How to Develop Strong Convictions By Miranda Morley, eHow Contributor In a world of conflicting politics, religions and ideas, it can be difficult to determine your own point of view. However, you may find this lack of strong conviction stressful. When you are asked to call upon your convictions to vote, make personal decisions or represent an organization, not knowing what you believe can be very frustrating. Though the findings have been inconsistent, the Encyclopedia of Religion and Society notes that many studies have suggested a connection between religion, one kind of strong conviction, and better mental health. Instructions 1. Study reliable materials that discuss different systems of belief, like holy books and commentaries written by clergy or academics. If you are trying to develop strong convictions related to one area, focus your study on that area. However, set a goal to understand the fundamental values associated with each belief system. 2. Reflect on your study through writing or recording your thoughts. Note whether the information you've come across is consistent with your current values and roles in society. Raise questions that will help you learn more about a particular belief system. If you have social or personal issues of concern, reflect on how this particular belief system might lead you to act. 3. Speak with clergy members and mental health counselors about your search. Ask questions about belief systems that you do not completely understand. Share the struggles of your search with these individuals and ask them for recommendations regarding texts to read or exercises to consider. 4. Examine the convictions you've developed. Determine whether you're experiencing any cognitive dissonance (stress because you have adopted two opposing values or beliefs). If you are, reflect on your beliefs until you find the source of conflict. Next, think about the steps it would take to resolve that conflict and how your values would have to change. Speak to a counselor or religious advisor throughout this process if you are comfortable doing so.

Tips & Warnings

Developing strong convictions can be a long process, and it can be painful when others around you don't understand what you are going through. Choose to share your struggle with those who with those who will be supportive. Once you develop strong convictions, not acting in accordance with them can be another way to develop cognitive dissonance and stress.

http://www.ehow.com/how_8522112_develop-strong-convictions.html

How to Toughen Yourself Up Mentally By Lars Tramilton, eHow Contributor Being tough isn't solely about physical power. Toughness is also about having mental strength. Possessing a strong mind can help you achieve in life, whether you are a professional athlete or a student studying for a major entry exam. Develop your mental strength in order to become a person who has valuable qualities such as determination, persistence, tranquility, passion, patience and dedication. Instructions 1. Appreciate your obstacles. Although that may sound bizarre, it is important to realize that hard situations often trigger success down the line. Setbacks often force people to look objectively at a situation in order to realize what is working and what isn't. 2. Ignore naysayers. Remember that when you aim high in life, there are always going to be people who try to discourage you or get you down. Drown out their negativity and concentrate on those who encourage you, and also on your goal of self-improvement. 3. Picture success clearly. If you truly want to achieve something, vividly imagine it in your head. Envision everything that you want to happen, down to the smallest details. Define your exact goal and constantly repeat it in your head in order to commit to it 100 percent. 4. Acquaint yourself with new things. To be a mentally strong person, you need to be highly adaptable when it comes to new environments and situations. Go out of your way to leave your comfort zone at least once a day, whether you shop at a different grocery store or take a different scenic path on your daily walk. 5. Embrace fear. Fear is never pleasant, but it is vital to realize that without a measure of fear, you will never be able to take risks and conquer new situations.

Avoid letting fear eat away at you. Identify that it is a normal and natural response to new and uncharted territory. 6. Stop complaining. Instead of whining about something, exert that mental energy on developing a solution. 7. Decide that "no" is not an option. Mental strength is about sheer determination and never giving up, no matter how many difficulties you encounter along the way. Understand that highs and lows are inevitable, and that without weathering the storm, you will never accomplish your goal. Patience, time and endurance are key elements to possessing a strong mind. Tips & Warnings

Surround yourself with individuals who are mentally strong and who have accomplished positive things despite setbacks. Stay away from people who just complain and do nothing to improve their situations. Learn by example in order to develop a strong mind.

http://www.ehow.com/how_8669959_toughen-yourself-up-mentally.html How to Make Myself Stronger Emotionally & Physically By Jennifer Hench, eHow Contributor Being a strong person requires you to be both physically, mentally and emotionally fit. Gaining strength in these areas takes commitment. Understanding the importance of being strong, both mentally and physically, is rooted in knowing that unless you are strong, you will not be as useful to yourself or others. You must focus on yourself to be productive, caring, kind and well-rounded. Instructions 1. Think of yourself when making choices and decisions. By placing a greater emphasis and focus on your own wants and needs, you will start to grow emotionally stronger as you realize your emotional well-being is important to your own happiness and overall health. 2. Learn to say no. Start off by saying no to small requests, such as someone asking you to get up and bring back an object. Expand your ability and willingness to say no by rejecting requests that make you feel used, weak or unimportant. For example, if you have a teenager who constantly asks you to take her for fast food during a favorite show of yours, say no. These simple changes help strengthen your emotional and physical well-being by placing some focus on what makes you happy. 3. Write daily in a journal. Record events that made you feel stronger and weaker. For example, if you went for a long walk alone and returned feeling refreshed, renewed and clear of stressful thoughts, note that the walk helped build you up

both physically and mentally. Conversely, note in the journal instances which made you feel weak, such as fight with a friend or stress due to a work project. 4. Exercise daily or regularly. Participate in team sports to help build self-esteem and physical abilities. Practice exercise methods such as yoga or running, both of which help build mental and physical fitness levels. Work on strengthening both your body and mind simultaneously. Know that when you care for your body, through exercising, you are creating a stronger mental state by placing your health as a high priority. Tips & Warnings

Use your journal to track other progress such as diet changes, exercise routines and overall feeling of being fit, strong and healthy. If you find yourself suffering from depression and feel yourself getting weaker emotionally, seek the guidance and help of a trained mental professional.

http://www.ehow.com/how_12008679_make-myself-stronger-emotionallyphysically.html Mental Toughness Strategies By Tracy Anglada, eHow Contributor Mental toughness is the ingredient that pushes an athlete beyond the breaking point and into the winner's circle. At the highest level of competition, mental toughness is just as important as physical fitness and athletic ability. Outside of the sport's arena, mental toughness is an asset in the business world. Even in personal life, mental toughness helps you achieve success. Anxiety Management Performance inevitably causes anxiety. How an athlete responds to this anxiety is a factor in mental toughness. Those who respond negatively begin focusing on the possibility of failure. Those who react positively thrive on the challenge. Passion Mental toughness involves a love for what you do. Pride, conviction, a strong will to succeed and even a little stubbornness produce a resolve that contributes to mental toughness.

Goal Setting

Setting goals that are focused on the process rather than the outcome contributes to mental toughness. Outcome goals, such as winning a game or closing a deal, are not always under your control and may be discouraging. Process goals focus specifically on your own performance or an aspect of performance. Set daily, short-term, intermediate and long-term goals. The most important goal for mental toughness is self-acceptance, according to Sport Psychology for Junior Rowers. Competitiveness Competition isn't daunting to elite performers, according to the Harvard Business Review. Competition isn't just about beating an opponent; it's about challenging yourself and rising to the occasion. Top performers reinvent themselves and keep their edge by always striving to improve. Consistency Change is an inevitable part of life. Those with mental toughness adjust to changing circumstances in their personal life and as part of a team. They compartmentalize aspects of life so that private problems aren't reflected in their performance. At times, they even use personal tragedies as inspiration to perform at a new level. Cognitive Skill Those with mental toughness are able to focus and stay present in an activity. This requires shutting out distractions. Some top performers use self-talk and cue words to maintain focus. Self-Awareness Exploring strengths, weaknesses, abilities and limitations allows high performers to know themselves. Awareness of thoughts and feelings about performance helps people to grow and adjust. This process contributes to mental toughness. Rebounding Failure is a part of the process of developing mental toughness. Many highperforming businessmen or athletes come from difficult backgrounds. They do not engage in negative self-talk or self-loathing after failure. They use it as a springboard to improve and come back stronger. http://www.ehow.com/list_7453736_mental-toughness-strategies.html

Mental Toughness Activities By Eric Benac, eHow Contributor Mental toughness is a term used in sports to represent how well athletes handle the physical and mental demands of their sports. A person with good mental toughness will struggle through the hard physical nature of their sport as well as the pain of getting scored against or losing. Mental toughness is important in sports as well as in other events. It can be built up and focused on by using simple activities and games. That's Not Me

When something goes wrong in a person's life, such as losing a game, they can often feel like this reflects their personality and self-worth. Use this activity to help remind your players and yourself that your self-worth is independent of the loss. Gather your athletes together. Give them pieces of paper and have them split the paper into two columns. One column should say "positive," while the other should say "negative." The negative column should be filled up with how it felt to lose the game and how it affected the athlete's self-worth. The positive aspects should be aspects of their lives that are positive and worth praise. Tell the athletes that they must come up with two positives for every negative. While making the list, they should begin to realize that they have worth beyond their game and should begin to toughen up mentally. Do this activity whenever your team seems demoralized.

Competition Simulation

Boosting your athletes' self-worth and confidence is important, but this confidence will be misguided if it isn't tested in a real-world situation. Help toughen your athletes' mental strength by running them through some simulated competition. Although this is similar to regular practice and drills, these competitive moments should reflect an area where your athletes feel weak or unconfident. For example, if a running back on your football has struggled with breaking tackles, set up a drill where every player tries to tackle him as he runs down the field. This will force the player to toughen up mentally in order to anticipate tackles and break them. It can also help prepare him for the inevitability of being tackled quickly and easily. Competition simulations can and should be used outside of the world of sports. For example, a man who is afraid of flying should watch movies that feature airplanes and also play flight simulators.

Keep It Positive

Negative thoughts have a way of eroding mental toughness. Keeping negative thoughts out of your mind while fostering the positive can lead to a mentally stronger person. Play this game with your athletes or anybody you think needs a

morale boost. Pair up your group of players and sit them all down. Read a list of ideas to your athletes. Eventually, read a negative idea or thought out loud. The athletes must clap when they hear the negative idea. The first pair to clap gets 30 seconds to replace that negative thought with a positive thought. The other teams can then vote on how effective that thought would be in creating a positive sense of self. If the majority of the teams don't think it is effective, another team gets a chance to answer. For each answer that is considered effective, give the team one point. This game can be useful in business environments as well as in the sports world. http://www.ehow.com/list_6875928_mental-toughness-activities.html How to Develop Mental Toughness By Suzanne Paulo, eHow Contributor Ralph Jean-Paul, founder of Potential 2 Success, defines mental toughness as having a physiological edge that enables you to be consistent, confident, focused and determined during high-pressure situations in order to perform at maximum potential. The term mental toughness is often associated with sports, but being mentally tough isn't just for athletes. With a little practice, anybody can learn to be more goal-oriented, resilient and mentally controlled even in the most adverse of circumstances. Instructions 1. Create your own reality. The first step to becoming mentally tough is to act that way. Act confident, composed and courageous---even when you feel none of those---and you soon will be, just out of habit. Practice self-awareness. In challenging situations, assess your feelings. If you aren't feeling the way that you want, change it. You create your own reality by telling yourself the way it is going to be. You can condition your mind to think confidently. 2. Focus on your goals. Decide what you want to do, make a plan, and do it. If you are not an instinctively goal-oriented person, write them down. When you feel unfocused, refer back to your notes and remind yourself of your goals. Practicing visualization is another way to stay goal-oriented. Picture yourself accomplishing your goals in your mind. Take yourself through all the necessary steps from start to finish and then act out the images you create. 3. Cultivate hardiness. Behavioral science researcher Suzanne Kobasa found three key elements in people who exhibited hardiness: control, commitment and challenge. In tenuous situations, you be the one to take control instead of helplessly looking to others to fix things; commit to being a finisher: set a goal, then refuse to give up until you attain it; challenge yourself regularly: learn new skills and view change as an opportunity for growth instead of a source of anxiety. 4. Practice calmness. Decide ahead of time how you are going to react when you experience a stressful situation. Practice self-awareness so you can recognize your 10

anxiety triggers and learn to counter them. Meditation, yoga and martial arts are all disciplines that teach mindfulness and self-awareness. Another place to find calmness is in routine. Develop routines and rituals that you find centering and calming. Before you know it, calmness will be a part of that routine. 5. Develop resilience. The simple definition of resilience is the ability to recover quickly. When you falter, lose site of your goals or have a bad day, bounce back. Condition yourself to acknowledge your mistakes, learn any lessons to be learned and let it go. Focusing on regret, self blame or engaging in negative self-talk serves no constructive purpose. Reaffirm your goals and focus on what's going right instead of what just went wrong. Tips & Warnings

Developing mental toughness is a process that will not happen overnight or be without setbacks, but with practice and determination, you will find yourself reaping the benefits of mental toughness in no time; legendary football coach Vince Lombardi called it character in action.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5485706_develop-mental-toughness.html Mental Toughness Exercises By Alicia Howe, eHow Contributor Everyone deals with moments of psychological significance in their daily lives. Whether you are facing a serious health issue, are a sports player performing in an important game, or you are a workaholic with a stressful job, the way you decide to deal with these situations can have a huge impact on the outcome. According to Howtobefit.com, when physical skills are evenly matched in a sport, it's the person with more control over his or her mind that comes out the winner. Fatigue Training Start to work harder when you feel fatigued. For sports players, if you notice that concentration becomes harder when you start to feel tired, work even harder through those weak periods in practices, so when you're dealing with the real thing, your mentality will be prepared to work right through the fatigue. Simulation Training Using simulation training will allow you to put yourself in an uncomfortable situation. Start a sports practice pretending that you're already losing, or that you're in the middle of a tiebreaker. Practice in front of a crowd or with lots of background noises. This strategy prepares you for interruptions.

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Mission Statement Designing a mission statement for yourself will keep you focused and keep you positive. If you're running a race, or you want to beat a health condition, consider your reason for wanting to accomplish your goal. What will you get out of it? Once you specifically decide why you want this goal, it will make it easier to stay positive and work toward it. Visualization Visualization allows you to visualize a successful result. In your mind, you can imagine the steps that you will take to accomplish your goal. Decide how you could reach your goal, and then imagine it being reached. Once your mind has seen it happen, you just need to get your body to repeat it. Meditation Meditation allows you to relax. You can close your eyes, concentrate on deep breathing, and clear your mind of distractions and thoughts about your goal and everything you still need to accomplish. If this is hard for you to do, purchase a tape or CD that can help you relax through soothing sounds and breathing advice. Inspirational Reading Reading books or watching documentaries that were created by someone who accomplished a goal similar to yours will give you a real-life example of a goal being accomplished. It will make you mentally aware that achieving your goals is possible too. If this person did it, you can too. http://www.ehow.com/way_5649347_mental-toughness-exercises.html

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How to Be Mentally and Emotionally Strong Steps When someone says an offense to you, try tensing your muscles. This makes you feel physically strong, thus giving the mental affect that you are strong. Try to acknowledge and accept your emotions. When you'll be able to do that, you'll be able to change them as well. When you're in an uncomfortable situation or just not feeling well, try the ABC technique below the steps. When they say something that hurt you, try to give witty or (possibly) pointless come-backs which will leave them hanging on a thread, maybe a bit confused. Laugh it off. It makes you feel better and other people usually don't know how to react. If you are one of those people who tends to ACTUALLY punch people, then imagine your wrist is chained to your side, and instead of physically punching them, do it in your head. Do the opposite of what your emotions are telling you to think, therefore making you more in control. If you are on the verge of starting a fight, imagine how you'd feel if it was done to you. It's obvious you'd rather NOT have your nose bleeding, or something similar. http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Mentally-and-Emotionally-Strong

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