How to Become Emotionally Strong

Some people are more resilient than others, but most people have the capacity to become emotionally strong. Instead of feeling overwhelmed and paralyzed, the emotionally strong face up to challenges. If you have emotional strength, you may not be laughing your way through difficulties, but you have the ability to withstand stress and get through whatever life throws you.

Set a goal to become emotionally strong. Just making the decision is a step. Don't just wish for it. Move away from the contemplation stage and decide you will succeed.

Change your thoughts. This won't seem natural at first, but it will get easier. Coach yourself to start talking to yourself differently during a tough time. Say "I can handle this problem," instead of "I know I can't cope with this."

Practice moving outside your comfort zone, which will be uncomfortable at first. Given a choice between growth and comfort, most people choose comfort.

Take small steps, and don't try to do it all at once. If you're not physically demonstrative, you are most likely not going to start hugging all your friends. Try just touching them on the shoulder. It may not seem like much to others, but for you, it may be a big step.

Expect people close to you to resist your change and maybe complain about it. And if nobody is complaining, you're probably not experiencing a significant amount of growth.

Recognize the change to gain emotional strength won't happen instantly. It's a process, not an event.

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