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Taking Control of Your Mind: How to Build Mental Strength and Improve Wellbeing

by Delia Elbaum

Regardless of how carefully we plan, unexpected mishaps and emotional upheavals happen. At times, it feels like the world is against us. We make a budget that seems achievable. We promise ourselves that we will avoid family disputes. We try not to get overwrought when an unexpected health emergency occurs.

Yet, all our plans and promises to ourselves don’t seem to help us when the unexpected happens. Is there a better way to avoid that roller-coaster of emotional ups and downs?

How can we help ourselves find acceptance and gain control over our minds?

What is mental strength?

First, let’s clarify that mental strength isn’t mental toughness. There is a subtle difference.

Mental toughness is the ability to work under constant stress and pressure. It includes remaining highly focused and highly competitive, regardless of the circumstances. We often think of mental toughness when we think of athletes, but we also see this type of mental toughness in results-driven sales professionals.
Mental strength is a mental skill that we can develop. It’s a way we cultivate coping skills. Instead of falling apart or floundering in self-pity, we slowly build on past times when we have solved a problem or found a work-through that allowed us to continue. As we build confidence in our critical thinking skills, we develop resilience.

Resilience is the ability to remember past experiences when we overcame adversity without being derailed from our goals. It utilizes our ability to adapt to new situations through flexibility. If our first potential solution doesn’t work, we go to Plan B or C, carefully navigating our way toward a viable solution.

7 ways to develop mental strength

A common misconception is that we are powerless over our emotions. But we are not completely powerless. Life-changing events will always trigger powerful emotional responses, which are normal.

However, we do have the power to retrain our reactions to the realities of life. We humans forget to put clothes in the dryer. We become angry when our child tracks mud into the house, and everyone is nervous at a job interview. Most importantly, things happen that are beyond our control.

How do we begin to develop mental strength? We start by learning to take a deep breath and asking ourselves, “Is this going to change my life a year from now?”

Most stress-triggering events are not life-altering; they are aggravating. Most sources of anxiety and stress are “just life.” Once we learn to recognize that most of our triggering events are not life-altering, we can begin our quest for mental strength.

Practice self-compassion. It’s time to stop beating ourselves up for being human. Juggling work and home duties isn’t easy. Adding children and pets to our workload increases the chances that we will experience stress and even anger. Stress affects our health, so self-care should be included in our self-compassion routine.
Develop daily routines. Establish a realistic routine. Including our spouse and children helps get our family in sync and helps eliminate those “oops” moments. Steady routines promote less hurried and calmer days. Include meal planning to avoid too many sugary breakfasts and snacks. Don’t forget the importance of a bedtime routine for us and our children. Good quality of sleep enhances mental strength.
Dress with Intention. What we wear affects how we feel. Choosing clothes that make us feel confident, comfortable, and like ourselves can subtly boost our mindset. A simple, go-to outfit can reduce stress and help us start the day with purpose. Dressing with intention is a small act of self-care and a quiet way to support our mental strength.
What we wear affects how we feel. Choosing clothes that make us feel confident, comfortable, and like ourselves can subtly boost our mindset. A simple, go-to outfit can reduce stress and help us start the day with purpose. Dressing with intention is a small act of self-care, and a quiet way to support our mental strength.
Start a journal. A straightforward way to discover increased mental strength is to keep a journal. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Take a few minutes each day to set goals, evaluate stressors, and recognize successful changes as they occur. Ladies living in the capital of Texas who decided on mental health treatment for women in Austin often learn how documenting their daily progress can lead to significant breakthroughs in self-awareness. This practice serves as a vital tool for identifying patterns and reinforcing the positive habits developed during their clinical sessions.
Mindfulness. Practicing mindfulness can take many forms. There is no set regimen; it can be a nature walk, yoga, breathing exercises, or utilizing one of the many phone apps. Phone apps may help us understand the concept of mindfulness. Mindfulness allows us to explore our feelings in a nonjudgmental way.
Do something different. Get out of your comfort zone and try something new. Perhaps you’ve wondered about Zumba but have never dared to go to the gym. We learn to conquer our fears by trying something we’ve never done before. Interested in photography but too afraid to try? Start using your phone’s camera. Don’t let your lack of knowledge prevent you from trying — you are building mental strength just by trying.
Cultivate your connections. Our relationships with others (both family and friends) are crucial to our mental well-being. We may depend on our therapist, but they are only one leg of the stool. We need to nurture our relationships with our family and our friends. Cultivating a blend of friends, including coworkers, neighbors, and established long-standing friends, is beneficial.
Mental health professional. If we find ourselves self-isolating or find ourselves too stressed to function normally, find a life coach or mental health professional for help. These professionals help us reframe the negative feelings we have developed. They guide us towards a path where negative thoughts don’t control our behavior.

Benefits of mental strength

The mere attempt to build mental strength will strengthen us. Just recognizing and acknowledging our needs is a benefit in and of itself. Just as it takes practice to build muscles and physical strength, it takes time to develop mental strength. Many Californians have learned from West Coast Recovery Centers how to develop these inner resources through personalized outpatient programs and evidence-based mental health therapies. This comprehensive clinical support empowers individuals to effectively navigate their personal challenges while building the resilient habits necessary for sustained, long-term wellness.

We don’t need to beat ourselves up. Everything good in our lives begins with that first step. We can gain control of our minds. And as we acquire and hone these skills, here’s what we’ll begin to see within us.

Resilience. Why is resilience so important? We can bounce back from happenstances that we can’t control. We appropriately manage stress as we build our ability to respond to adversity more positively. And even more importantly, we’ll become more confident in our ability to cope with life’s unpredictability.
Increased productivity. As we learn to control our reactions to conditions out of our control, we gain productivity. Our minds are freed to concentrate on meaningful goals instead of always having damage control on our minds.
Gaining fulfillment. The result of developing resilience and becoming more productive is attaining fulfillment in our lives—emotionally, personally, and professionally. The knowledge we have gained will enhance our personal and business relationships.

No longer do we fear waking up every morning; we wake up with the knowledge that we are prepared for those unexpected circumstances that life brings.

Megan Isola

Megan Isola holds a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and a minor in Business Marketing from Cal State University Chico. She enjoys going to concerts, trying new restaurants, and hanging out with friends.