People With Low Mental & Emotional Grit Usually Say 9 Phrases In Casual Conversation
Roman Samborskyi / Shutterstock It takes resilience to get through the punches life swings at you. Some people are better prepared for these things, so they don’t back down when things get hard. In fact, if someone is seriously courageous and possesses true inner strength, tough times often encourage them to work harder.
Those with low mental and emotional grit, on the other hand, may try their best to be strong, but it doesn’t come naturally to them. Often, they buckle under the pressure. This type of person may blame others for their shortcomings. They struggle to take responsibility for their actions, pointing fingers at others to feel better. The passive phrases they use, even in casual conversations, start a vicious cycle of stress and blame that makes life harder in the long run.
People like this feel defeated before it even starts
1. ‘This always happens to me’
Africa Images via Canva
Without grit, people can get caught in the cycle of self-pity. When things get tough, they struggle to push through and change the outcome. Instead, they blame everyone around them and feel sorry for themselves. They’re often seeking validation that they have no role in the terrible things in their life. Anyone who can feed their ego will reassure them that they’re the victim, not the problem.
Someone without any real grit can feel like the world is out to get them because they struggle to bounce back from setbacks. They’ll throw themselves a pity party and hope it gets them the attention that they crave, and the perfect excuse for their actions, or lack thereof.
2. ‘I’m so over it’
Alex Green from Pexels via Canva
Someone who lacks inner strength likely struggles to stay motivated. They find certain tasks difficult and instead of pushing themselves to grow through them, they simply give up. It might be communication or finishing a project on time. Anything that takes real effort feels impossible to accomplish, so they just stop, which makes them come across as lazy.
Some people fear success or don’t have the grit to work for it. This can cause them to default to laziness and self-sabotage. They may not realize they are doing it, but everyone around them does. Instead of trying their best, they blow it off.
3. ‘Why can’t things be easy for once?’
doucefleur via canva
If something doesn’t come naturally to someone without grit, they tend to complain to everyone around them. It’s not them who is the problem. The problem is everything going on around them. Life in general is too much for them to handle, and they constantly wonder why things aren't easier, even if what they’re dealing with seems like it's not really a big deal to others.
Life can be difficult for people who focus on the negative. They’re often selfish and see things from their perspective. Instead of understanding that things go wrong sometimes for everyone and working through them, they have a woe-is-me attitude they refuse to let go of.
4. ‘It is what it is’
Luriko Yamaguchi from Pexels via Canva
Saying ‘it is what it is’ signals resignation. They’ve given up on the idea that things will improve. People with grit bounce back and have the courage to try again. Those without it get stuck in the thought that they can’t do anything to make their lives better. It’s easier for them to shut down and pretend like their problems aren’t something they can fix.
People with grit are mentally and emotionally strong. Sadly, someone without it isn’t afraid to play the victim. It is what it is, they say. They have no control and won't bother to work through their problems.
5. ‘I’m done trying’
Pixels Effect from Getty Images via Canva
Have you ever talked to someone about their problems and noticed a clear solution? They’re venting to you, and all you want to do is tell them there is a way to move forward from the way they’re feeling. If you try to share your thoughts, they may default to defeat. They’re not willing to put in the effort. If the solution won’t come to them naturally, they won’t try to do it themselves.
They may be ready to give up on everything entirely. It can be difficult to listen to people who feel this way, especially when they’re unwilling to put forth effort. They become difficult to soothe and maintain a healthy relationship with.
6. ‘I knew this wasn’t going to work out’
Inzmam Khan from Pexels via Canva
Someone who lacks resilience always assumes the worst. It’s a defense mechanism. They want to protect themselves before they’re let down. If they prepare themselves for something to go wrong, they won’t get their hopes up. They find comfort in catastrophizing, always looking over their shoulder.
Assumptions can start to feel like facts. They’ve already convinced themselves of the negative outcome, as if they spoke it into the universe. Our minds can talk ourselves into something awful, even if there was a chance it would work out.
7. ‘People always let me down’
Nathan Cowley from Pexels via Canva
It’s much easier to blame everyone else than it is to take a hard look at ourselves. Admitting our faults can be difficult, especially when we can point the finger at someone else. Without grit, this process becomes more challenging. They’re extra critical of the people around them, assuming they will start problems in their lives.
Projection helps them feel better about themselves. It takes the weight off their shoulders and comforts them. They’re not the problem; in fact, everyone else around them is. Now off the hook, they start to feel sorry for themselves because they believe they did nothing wrong.
8. 'I'm not putting myself through that'
Karola G from Pexels via Canva
Someone like this refuses to take risks, even if the results could change their lives. They want the easy way out, and don’t care how they get there. If that means putting others down in the process, so be it. As long as they aren’t the ones suffering, they’re happy. They refuse to put themselves through anything outside of their comfort zone.
It’s obviously easier to stay in our comfort zone. Most of us would like to avoid things that challenge us. However, someone with grit dares to put themselves out there. Without it, someone can stay stagnant, forever afraid to step outside of the box. It could be fear of failure or another sign of laziness.
9. ‘I’m not good at that’
AndreyPopov from Getty Images via Canva
When someone struggles to leave their comfort zone, they assume they’re not good at something before they try it. They don’t have the patience to put in the effort to better themselves, no matter how easy it would be. Instead, they keep suffering through certain things because they believe they’re just not good at them.
This is often a sign of low self-esteem. Someone without confidence can struggle to see their potential. While grit encourages someone to put themselves out there, those without it continue to self-sabotage because they don’t think they’re good enough.
Haley Van Horn is a freelance writer with a master’s degree in Humanities living in Los Angeles. Her focus includes entertainment and lifestyle stories.
