How to develop mental strength by avoiding dramas, in 7 steps
It is clear that the best life is the one that we learn to live intensely, but that does not mean that we should be constantly led by the torrent of emotions that our experiences produce.
Many times, it is important to take charge of the situation and concentrate on acting constructively, no matter what happens. This ability is what we know as emotional strength .
In fact, one of the most important aspects of Emotional Intelligence it is knowing how to take a distance from the facts that does not allow us to examine them in a more reasonable way and identify the best options. The emotional strength consists in getting used to the commitments with certain standards of well-being, living avoiding unnecessary dramas. How to benefit from this psychological attribute?
- Related article: "What is Emotional Intelligence? Discovering the importance of emotions"
Exercises to train emotional strength
Next I propose a series of exercises to develop emotional strength through changes in our habits.
1. Take time to think about your priorities
For know how to distance oneself from the facts when they gain a strong emotional charge , it is important to be clear, first, with what purpose this is done.
For example, in the face of arguments, do we want to satisfy our pride or maintain healthy relationships? Given the stress due to lack of time, do we want to organize ourselves better or explore other work possibilities that we are passionate about? Reflecting on what our priorities are is essential, and can be done at any time, for example, by pointing them hierarchically in a list.
2. Surround yourself with people you connect with
This step does not directly intervene in developing emotional strength, but it is a support. When we devote a good part of our time to cultivating toxic relationships, we lose that energy necessary to face crises, and therefore we are carried away by the circumstances . Having an environment that welcomes us makes it possible to better manage our psychological resources and use them in situations that are truly worthwhile.
3. Make a count of personal strengths
It seems a no-brainer, but it's not like that. Many people are not aware of their strengths and assume they are "natural losers". But if we know what we are doing well, we face the problems with greater security because we know how to identify the points of support that we can use on our behalf.
4. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a good tool to reduce the levels of stress that we accumulate many times throughout the day. Therefore, it is something like a measure of psychological hygiene.
- Related article: "5 Mindfulness exercises to improve your emotional well-being"
5. Commit yourself
Many times a good part of our projects go through the drain of "I'll do it tomorrow". If we do not allow this and we face those activities that really excite us, we will gain a very valuable sense of purpose It will be good for us to have an address to point to through all our experiences. And, when it is clear what is important, it is more difficult to give in to vulnerabilities and manipulation by others.
In short, commit to something gives us more reasons not to give up what interests us , in the same way that, for example, it is easier to continue going to the gym when you have the routine to go for the first time after a quarter of a break.
- Maybe you are interested: "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): principles and characteristics"
6. Train yourself in dramatization
Examine those characteristics that you see as imperfections and ask yourself: so what? Knowing how to distance oneself from things is also that, understanding that what is not as we would like and can not be changed should not have the power to stop us. That would be a totally unjustified limitation, a barrier that we put on ourselves and that makes our existence bitter without us asking ourselves why we are keeping it there.
7. Do the exercise: reason coldly
Renounce any claim to reach a conclusion you already had prepared. Distract yourself from something that you feel some involvement with and value what really happens . If you go to the same conclusion as always, with all the issues with which you do it, consider what you are doing wrong and repeat the process. Little by little, go up the level of difficulty, and use this strategy with aspects of your life that touch you very closely.
Develop emotional strength is knowing how to fit the effect that emotions have on us and channel them in a constructive way.In the case of anger, for example, it can be used as energy to build a world in which situations such as those that bothered us do not happen so much. It's about looking beyond yourself both in the analysis of the facts and in the application of the conclusions. Thus, this mental capacity associated with Emotional Intelligence can serve, at the same time, so that each time it becomes something more contagious and easier to obtain from one's social environment.
