Mental Strength is the capacity of an individual to deal effectively with stressors, pressures, and challenges and perform to the best of their ability, irrespective of the circumstances in which they find themselves (Peter Clough, 2002). Building your mental strength is fundamental to living your best life. Just as we go to the gym and exercise daily to develop our physical strength, the same way through the use of mental tools and techniques, we must develop our mental health. People like Will Smith, Mark Zuckerberg, Michael Jordan, etc were able to achieve incredible things because they had incredible mental strength. This shows the immense importance of mental health and why as humans, we need to stay strong mentally irrespective of what life throws at us. 

How do we get started with strengthening our mental health? Here are some helpful tips below: 

1. Learn not to talk down on yourself: Often, we belittle ourselves in our thoughts and abilities and this tends to affect us mentally in a negative way. To stay strong mentally, you need to watch how you speak to yourself. Make sure you speak to yourself in a good and positive way.

2. Get over past mistakes: Instead of you beating yourself up over your past mistakes, learn from them. Ruminating about things you didn't do well will only weaken you. However, reflecting on your mistakes and learning where you got it all wrong can make you wiser and lead you to a greater chance of success next time. Learn your lesson! Forgive yourself! And move on! 

3. Don't overthink: Overthinking cannot solve any problem, it will only add to it. Overthinking is harmful to your mental health. Rather than overthinking, be a problem solver. Push yourself to solve the issue at hand and not ruminate endlessly on it. Don't question yourself too much, direct your energy to make a decision, and put your whole attention into doing it. 

4. Avoid comparison: Shall we be honest with ourselves? I think everyone on this planet earth has at one point or another compared themselves with others. Comparison will only make us focus on the things others have that we don't. Comparison won't give room for you to acknowledge and appreciate what you have. This reality often leads to feelings of lack. If you want to stay strong mentally, it's best to nip comparison in the bud asap. 

5. Self-care: Self-care  is essential in keeping your mind and body healthy. You need to pay attention to your needs, and emotions and engage in activities you find fun and relaxing. Self-care prepares your mind and body ahead of any difficult situation that might likely appear. To get started, here are some activities you can indulge in: 

✓Exercise regularly

✓ Eat a healthy and balanced diet

✓ Take a walk in nature

✓ Find ways to relax: Yoga, coloring, watching a movie, or taking a bath

6. Don't dim your light: Be comfortable and bold to put yourself forward and let others know what you have to offer. There’s a world of difference between bragging and downplaying your achievements and successes. Humility is great but to stay strong mentally, you need to allow yourself to feel proud of your efforts. Be comfortable and confident in taking compliments rather than trying to belittle yourself. You're deserving of it. The earlier you know this, the better for your mental health. 

7. Get at least 8 hours of sleep daily: When you don't get enough rest, it tells on you. You tend to lose your mind and your brain might not function as it should. You are also likely to make poor decisions because you're stressed out due to lack of sleep. Give yourself enough time to rest. When you get enough sleep, you stay mentally strong. Prioritize getting 8 hours of sleep daily this year. 

To conclude, you need to know that mental toughness doesn't happen overnight. There's always room for improvement. It is all about practice, and not perfection. 

Dear reader, thank you for reading. Did you find this helpful? If yes, do well to like, comment and share with your audience. Thank you ❤️ ​​​​​​.