If These 10 Life Tasks Don’t Stress You Out, You’re Mentally Stronger Than Most People
maxfoto.shutter | Shutterstock Life has a way of throwing some real curveballs that you really aren't expecting. From having to juggle an overflow of responsibilities and tasks to a setback that means things have to be put on the back burner, all of these little tests can really challenge a person's mental capacity and strength. For most people, these tiny triggers can be surprisingly stressful and evoke feelings of frustration or even pure anger. But for others, they've mastered the art of not getting all worked up, so these setbacks simply roll off their backs because their mental strength is stronger than the average person.
Being mentally strong has nothing to do with never feeling stressed out or making a mistake. Instead, it's about how you respond to these challenging moments in life. Usually, these individuals are quite good at being able to regulate their emotions and maintain a levelheaded perspective even when things aren't going perfectly well. They stay calm and collected in moments where other people might be quick to panic. If you're able to breeze through these tasks and come out on the other side stronger than ever, it means that you're someone who probably isn't easily frazzled.
If these 10 life tasks don't stress you out, you're mentally stronger than most people:
1. Managing your finances responsibly
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According to a Mind over Money survey by Capital One and The Decision Lab, 77% of Americans report feeling anxious about their financial situation, and 58% feel that finances control their lives. In this current economy, many people are feeling the stress of being able to handle their money amidst a rising cost of living and housing crisis. Being able to manage your money responsibly doesn't mean that you're tracking every expense or that you're rich.
Instead, it means that you know exactly where your money is going, and you're not just living paycheck to paycheck completely blind. You are able to plan for emergencies by how often you're budgeting and putting money away into your savings. It doesn't mean that money doesn't stress you out, but that you can balance your finances in a way that allows you to breathe.
2. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance
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The American Psychological Association found that for many employees, changes to their jobs and growing economic uncertainty have led to intensifying workplace stress and mental health concerns. It might sound simple, but trying to find a work/life balance amongst all of the responsibilities and stress, but many people struggle with it immensely. It can sometimes feel impossible to separate work from your personal life, but if you're someone who can manage to keep your workload from taking over your entire existence, it means that you have a good amount of mental strength.
It shows that you have these strict boundaries that you're not willing to bend for anyone or anything. That doesn't mean that you're not an ambitious person, but that you know your limits and have enough respect for your own time to ensure that you don't fall into the category of people who are experiencing this high level of stress.
3. Making difficult decisions under pressure
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If you're able to navigate these moments without panicking or freezing up, it means that you don't get stressed by having to make difficult decisions under pressure. You can think clearly, even when the stakes are quite high. You simply slow down enough to think clearly rather than reacting out of pure impulse. You weigh all of your options and consider the consequences.
"The ability to perform well under pressure and stress conditions is one of the best skills we can develop. Those individuals who excel under these conditions often report that it gives them an advantage over those who crumble in heated conditions," pointed out medical expert Marc Schoen.
At the same time, you're also able to reckon with the fact that there might not be a perfect outcome. But you're able to accept the option, even when there are flaws involved. It could be a career move that's just landed at your feet or a relationship decision with someone you love. No matter the circumstance, you don't buckle under the pressure.
4. Confronting uncomfortable emotions
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Most of us would rather do almost anything else than have to sit with the uncomfortable emotions we might be feeling. But if you're someone who can acknowledge these feelings, whether it's anger, sadness, anxiety, or even guilt, without immediately pushing them away or trying to distract yourself, it means you're stronger than the average person.
"It takes courage to look at your emotions. This means we don’t need to fear emotions. They have a lot to share with us if only we take the time to listen in with kindness and a willingness to learn," explained psychotherapist Donald Altman.
You're willing to face things head-on rather than just pretending that everything is fine and going about your day. Confronting the uncomfortable emotions doesn't mean that you enjoy feeling them; in fact, it's the opposite. But you know that these feelings are only temporary, and the sooner you're able to address them, the easier it can be to work through them and come out better than before.
5. Accepting failure and learning from it
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As much as we would like for failure to never happen to us, it's inevitable. How you're able to deal with failure says a lot about your mental strength, though. When you can experience failure without completely falling apart, it means that you're able to separate your self-worth from the outcome of a situation that has no determining factor in your well-being.
"The key here is that part about moving on. If you don’t process the failures cleanly, you’ll find yourself like a ship with its hull covered in barnacles, moving slower and slower, unable to navigate gracefully through the waters ahead," insisted communications expert Nick Morgan.
Mentally strong people don't pretend that failure hasn't happened, but they do their best to learn from it. They reflect, ask the right questions, and eventually move on to accomplish it with a better outcome the second time around. They aren't wallowing in their mistakes but using them as a teaching moment to become better down the line.
6. Waiting in long lines without getting frustrated
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Whether you're waiting at the grocery store on a weekend or standing in the security line at the airport, mentally strong people have the patience to not get frustrated by standing in a line for a long period of time. Long lines are often such a trigger for wasted time and even a loss of control. You can't magically make the line speed up, no matter how much brainpower you're attempting to use.
Instead, you just have to accept the situation for what it is and know that you won't be in that long line forever. Mentally strong people have the capacity to stay calm and regulate their feelings of annoyance. They keep themselves from spiraling, and waiting in a long line doesn't ever ruin their day.
7. Not overthinking social interactions
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Most of the time, constantly overthinking past social interactions comes from a fear of being judged or misunderstood. Mentally strong individuals understand that they're not responsible for the way that other people perceive them. If they're walking into a social interaction being their most authentic self and welcoming to others, that's all they can really focus on.
They don't go home at the end of it and wonder if they said the right thing or acted awkwardly in any way. It's because they know what their intentions were. They weren't trying to offend people or be embarrassing, so they chose not to beat themselves up over how things might've been taken.
8. Not procrastinating on difficult tasks
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If you're able to start difficult tasks without putting them off, it shows just how disciplined you are. You're able to understand that avoiding them altogether will only make things worse for you in the long run. That's why you might not feel any discomfort and simply get started on the tasks at hand. The reason that most people procrastinate often has to do with fear. It's the fear of not being able to do it perfectly or failing altogether.
But there's absolutely no such thing as perfection. Instead, we should be okay with doing something and possibly failing that very first time. If you're able to do what needs to be done without putting it off, you automatically have a leg up against the average person who might be struggling with doing things on time.
9. Staying positive during slow progress
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Slow progress for anything can feel quite discouraging. Whether it's work-related, like vying for a promotion, or you've been hitting the gym recently and are hoping to see instant progress, it can be difficult to reckon with the fact that hard work takes time. But if you're able to stay strong through these phases without spiraling from frustration, it means you're probably mentally stronger than the average person.
It can be quite easy to expect progress instantly, only to become irritated or even sad when it doesn't show up in the ways that you can see. You automatically assume something is wrong, and it can be hard not to see it as some kind of personal failure. But for mentally strong individuals, they just see it as part of the process.
10. Handling rejection without bitterness
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Mentally strong people know that rejection is just redirection. Whether it's a relationship that didn't work out or a job opportunity that ended up passing them by, they never take it personally. Sure, it hurts in the moment, but they're able to look at is a sign from the universe that something better is usually heading their way.
They know not to feel bitter because clearly, that wasn't meant for them. That can be a hard mentality to subscribe to, though, as rejection can feel like a direct blow to the ego. But nine times out of ten, you were rejected for a reason, and it has nothing to do with your own personal value.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
