Typically, we picture a strong person as someone tough, resilient, and stoic. But this idea is being challenged more and more. Specifically, we can see that in regards to emotion. Being emotionally strong means being able to handle and express your feelings in a way that helps you and pushes you forward in life. Let’s see the signs that you have this type of strength or not.
You are never afraid to show your emotions
The first sign is that you don’t treat emotions and show emotion as weaknesses. Instead, you recognize the important role that they play in your daily life, and you are not afraid to show what you are feeling at the moment.
This doesn’t mean that you throw a tantrum at the slightest provocation, of course, but that you feel free to show your emotions as they appear rather than suppress them. It also means that you express a wide range of emotions.
The typical “tough guy” might barely crack a smile or show their anger freely, but not other emotions. However, strength means dealing with all of our positive and negative feelings as they come.
You know your worth
Emotional strength means being able to respect yourself and set your boundaries. You won’t stand for mistreatment or disrespect because you know that you are worth more than that, that you can do better.
You know what you can put up with and what is harmful, and you can walk away from people who don’t value you. Emotional strength means doing what is right and what is best for you, even if it hurts.
You can keep moving forward
Not a single person lives a life that is free of pain or free of joy. However, emotionally resilient people are capable of moving on from that pain and continuing their lives. They don’t let themselves get stuck in the past, but rather they try to learn from it and do better in the future. This helps them live better, more fulfilling lives, avoiding the mistakes of the past.
On the other hand, it also means letting go of good times that have passed, of relationships that have run their course, and anything that is keeping us anchored when we should be setting sail towards new horizons.
You acknowledge and heal your pain
Unlike the typical “tough guy,” an emotionally strong person does feel pain, and, when they do, they acknowledge it. They know that letting it fester is not going to help anyone.
Being emotionally strong means understanding what you feel and facing that pain, expressing it, and finding ways to heal it.
Our strength allows us to seek help and lean on others, to be vulnerable, which takes a great deal of courage. Strength is not in being fine all the time, but rather in recognizing when something is going wrong and addressing the problem.
You find healthy ways to deal with emotion
Sometimes, our emotions can get the better of us. It’s when we lash out or hurt those around us or reject them.
An emotionally strong person does their best to avoid this. They work patiently to recognize their emotions and find ways to express them. They might talk about their feelings, write about them, work to address the underlying situation. They are proactive in expressing their emotions and don’t wait to blow up.
Being an emotionally strong person means knowing and managing your emotions without the need to deny, repress, or ignore them. Rather, it helps us experience the full range of emotions and being able to deal with any situation in a healthy way, one that does not damage ourselves or others.
We can build our emotional strength by getting to know who we are and the feelings we experience and finding different ways to express emotions.
If we often don’t know what we feel or tend to lash out, we might focus on developing this characteristic.
