(Wikispaces)

Some people are able to overcome obstacles, while others crumble at life’s daily challenges and frustrations. It all depends on mental strength.

“In a world that we don’t control, tolerance is obviously an asset,” Ryan Holiday, author of the forthcoming book “The Obstacle Is the Way,” was quoted as saying.

It is a simple truth that the ability to cope with difficult emotions and situations is a significant predictor of our success and happiness, the U.S. news website Huffington Post stated.

To become a capable individual who turns any obstacle into a source of growth and opportunity, you may want to take note of the characteristics of mentally strong people.

Here are the nine habits and practices of mentally strong people revealed by the Huffington Post on Feb. 18.

1. They see things objectively

Shakespeare’s famous line read, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” The way we perceive a situation has a tremendous power to either help or harm us. Look at things objectively to overcome a challenge.

2. They let go of entitlement

Thinking that we deserve to get what we want all the time, namely, having an attitude of entitlement, can make it more difficult to cope with hardships. Mentally strong people recognize that their entire life plans, and life itself, could be derailed at any moment. They don’t waste time complaining about their destiny when things go wrong.

3. They keep an even keel

Mental strength is not about always being happy. It is more about “keeping an even keel at any and all times,” says Holiday. Emotional stability and the ability to stay cool is an asset when handling challenging situations.

4. They don’t aspire to be happy all the time

Preoccupation with happiness can lead to unhappiness. People who are strong mentality do not avoid negative emotions. Accepting both positive and negative emotions and letting them coexist is a key component of resiliency.

5. They are realistic optimists

Mentally tough people have the habit of rising after they fall instead of getting upset, feeling hopeless and giving up in the face of obstacles. They tend to be “realistic optimists” by having the hopefulness of optimists and the clarity of pessimists.

6. They live in the present moment

Being present -- rather than dwelling on the past or anticipating the future -- allows people to see things as they are. The mentally strong tend to have a mindful and attentive way of engaging with the world. The science also proves that mindfulness can boost brain power, stabilize emotion and reduce stress and anxiety. 

7. They are persistent in the pursuit of their goals

One of the fundamental qualities of resilient people is perseverance, or as Angela Lee Duckworth puts it, grit. “Grit is passion for very long-term goals. Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future,” she said, citing the results of her study.

8. They know when it is time to let go

Mentally strong people have no trouble letting things go. Only actions can be controlled, not the results of those actions. Accepting this fact allows us to yield to the things that are beyond our power. Change what we can control, but accept what we cannot control, and know the difference between the two.

9. They love their lives

The last key to being mentally tough is to be grateful and appreciative of obstacles. Turns and twists are life itself. Find joy in embracing the things that happen to you. May you always remember that obstacles in the path are not obstacles, they ARE the path, according to the author Jane Lotter.

By Ock Hyun-ju, Intern reporter (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)