 When bad things happen to you, how much does it affect your daily life? Do your thoughts and feelings almost never phase you? Perhaps you're often viewed as seemingly unflappable in the face of adversity. If that's the case, then you may be a mentally strong person. However, if you often find that you get overwhelmed very easily by your thoughts and feelings, then it may be helpful to learn some of the practices of those who are mentally strong. So, without further ado, here are five common habits of mentally strong people. Number one, you don't ruminate. Were you ever kept up at night because you were worrying about not having studied enough for a test or being rejected by your crush? According to Dr. Gabriela Rodriguez, rumination occurs when you have constant and repetitive thoughts about something, typically a problem or situation. Of course, this doesn't mean that those who are mentally strong won't have negative thoughts about their day. What it does mean is that mentally strong people are able to challenge those thoughts and push them out before it becomes overwhelming. If you can avoid the utterly debilitating need to hyper-fixate on moments in your current sphere, then you are mentally very tough. Number two, you're kind to those that are rude. In a world full of anger and frustration, it can be something of a rarity to be a kind person. Maybe you work at a really hard job where you get yelled at by your bosses or ungrateful customers. In times like these, if you're mentally strong, you'll know to apply the expression, kill them with kindness, instead of lashing out at them in return. Choose to channel that anger into thoughtful and gentle words and expressions. In this way, you don't lower yourself to their level, which is something to be greatly admired. Number three, you can more easily accept criticism. Nobody likes being criticized for what they do or who they are, but those who are mentally strong are more likely to be able to accept feedback and criticisms of themselves. When others critique your work and give you notes and suggestions that may sometimes be mean-spirited or hurtful, having mental strength teaches you not to take it personally and that you have a choice whether to believe or take their advice. After all, being open, graceful and teachable to others is often times of strength. Number four, you define your own success. How often are you on Instagram or Facebook? With social media, it's often very easy to compare yourself to others. You may see someone who is like yourself but who's better dressed, has a better job, car or house and end up feeling upset or inadequate. But those who are mentally strong are often content and satisfied with what they have regardless of what the people around them have. Maybe you're someone who doesn't have a permanent home but is happy to always be moving from place to place. You, success may not be defined by being rich. Perhaps success for you is traveling all over the world meeting new people and being rich in experience. And number five, you've made peace with the past. It's hard to come to terms with your past. Perhaps you experienced heartache, job loss or a death in the family. In those moments, it can be hard to let go and move on. You may be stuck in the past and constantly think about how things used to be. Being mentally strong here doesn't mean you don't care about the past but it's about being able to accept what happened and know that there's nothing more you can do about it. After all, whether you like it or not, you're living in the present. Right now, don't look back. You're not going that way. Did any of the points on this list resonate with you? You may be stronger than you think. Let us know in the comments below. Please like, subscribe and share this video with those who may need reminding just how strong they are. Don't forget to hit the notification bell icon to get notified whenever Psych2Go posts a new video. The references and studies used in this video are added in the description below. Thanks so much for watching and see you in our next video. Hey everyone. I recently uploaded a video over on my personal channel about something that is very important to me. The link is in the description below and if you have time, it would mean so much if you could go check it out. It's the one that says, K-Bird Rising.